Gone Away
by PARADISE.x
Summary: Instead of Lucy being 'asleep' for 7 years with the rest of her mage friends, she escapes after only 2 years and returns back to Fairy Tail believing all of her friends that were on that island are dead. What has the years without her best friends turned Lucy into? And what is this about her being the Master of Fairy Tail? Rating changed, lemon no longer included, sorry !
1. 1 Out Of 4

**Title: Gone Away**

**Author: PARADISE.x but you can just call me Parrie-chan~!**

**Rated: M for heavy language, violence, graphic sexual content, and adult situations**

**Genres: Romance and Angst**

**Summary: Instead of Lucy being 'asleep' for 7 years with the rest of her mage friends, she escapes after only 2 years and returns back to Fairy Tail believing all of her friends that were on that island are dead. What has the years without her best friends turned Lucy into? And what is this about her being the Master of Fairy Tail? There will probably be 5 chapters at the most.**

**Hello everyone and welcome to Gone Away by me, PARADISE.x! I hope all of you enjoy my first attempt at a sad fanfic. Pretty much Lucy believes that Erza, Natsu, Grey, Loke [even though he CANNOT die…erg.], Wendy, Happy, Charlie, Laxus, Cana, Master Marcov, Levy, Gajeel, Evergreen, Elfman and whoever else was on Tenrou Island died when that Dragon attacked…cannot remember his name…erg.**

**Anywho, enjoy this story!**

**OoOoOoO**

It was the normal day in the Fairy Tail guild…except for the fact that a number of people were missing. They have been for two years now yet the mage guild has still not gotten over the grief and sorrow over losing a majority of their close comrades and family members. They had moved _on _of course, but the shame that they could not protect their friends still always hung in the dingy air of the rickety new guild building they had been forced to retreat to, for they could not pay off the rent. They were low on money, _way_ low; they could barely even afford beer! Yet, through all of these hardships they managed to keep smiles on their faces and the memories of their fallen comrades alive.

There had been many changes to the guild members left behind. Without cute Levy McGarden to make his life worth living, Droy had drowned his sorrows in food, eventually getting so fat he was hardly recognizable. Jet had stayed the same, yet there had been many rumors going around about the suspicious cuts along his wrists. Many members had just got on by training every day or drinking so much that they just…forgot. That was the worst, when drunken guild members would stumble in-usually with an empty beer bottle in their hands-and just pass out on the dirty floor of the guild. That was the saddest part, seeing the guild slowly crumble.

There was no master of Fairy Tail either, and at first no one was willing to fill Master Marcov's spot in fear of forgetting the old man who made every day so magical for them…well, used to, anyway. No one would step up to the hard task of running a guild that was destined to just completely fall apart. Of course, no one ever mentioned the dark shadows of the guilds that sprung up and above them in power and number, and the constant threat of Dark Guilds wishing to take revenge now that Fairy Tail was weaker than ever. No one dared.

Just when all hope was lost, just when everyone thought that this was the end of Fairy Tail, a God send appeared in the form of an old friend. She smiles faintly at her old friends, golden hair now dirtied from her being on the road so long dull in the weak afternoon sun that shined behind her as she held that rickety door open. Her big doe-eyes, that had lost their luster because of the crushing grief she felt, tear up at the sight of what was left of Fairy Tail. Everyone stares in awe at the girl-no, the _woman_-that stands before them, taking in her dirty hair, bruised and broken body, lifeless eyes and torn clothing. But what stood out the most was the surprisingly clean Dragon scaled scarf that was wrapped around her neck. It was silent for a long time, too long, when finally a single voice rang out, one of a small boy now turned young man,

"Big sister Lucy?"

OoOoOoO

"So you're saying a Dragon blasted Tenrou and you were in the Celestial Spirit World for 8 days? You were gone for two years, Lucy!" Macao says in disbelief.

Lucy smiles faintly at the older mage and takes a sip of the warm tea that was given to her. It didn't taste all that great, but to Lucy, it was the most delicious thing she has ever tasted, "A day in the Celestial Spirit World is equal to three months on Earthland."

"How'd you get there?" A voice speaks up, that of Romeo Conbolt, the son of Macao Conbolt. He sits next to Lucy in a rickety chair, eyes huge and staring at Lucy like if he looked away she would disappear forever.

Taking another drink from her mug, she sets it down on the table and connects her hands at her lap, staring into the floor of the guild, "It's real messy in here…do you all not take care of this place at all?" She says in humor, a ghost of a smile gracing her features. She was trying to ignore their question for as long as she could, this they could tell. She reaches up and grabs the scarf around her neck, biting her bottom lip.

Wakaba decides to cut in, speaking around the pipe that was in his mouth, "C'mon, Lucy, you can tell us." His tone is comforting and he puts a hand on her shoulder, which she responds to by putting her hand over his.

The young woman stares at him for a moment, before tears spring into her dead brown eyes and they quickly run down her cheeks. No one says anything as she sobs; they just stare at her with looks of concern and patience. After a few minutes of her continued crying, she stops, wiping quickly at her eyes and ceasing the flow of tears. She takes a deep breath before saying in a surprisingly strong voice, "Horologium…at the last moment, right when that fucking beast attacked!" Something was obviously different, both inside Lucy and outside. Firstly, she _never_ used profanity, even when she's beyond angry, and never before has she sounded so…cold. Her eyes…when you looked into them, there was nothing there, no spark of life, not a hint of youthful playfulness. Those eyes have seen way more than any human should have, and Lucy was no more than seventeen. It frightened the guild members the way she stared at them, without any emotion. If you didn't know any better, you would think she was possessed.

Macao's eyes widen and he says, "You mean that clock spirit ye got?" He takes a sip of the beer he has in his hand, "Wouldn't that thing be destroyed too?"

Lucy shakes her head, "Celestial Spirits cannot die under any circumstances, and since he locked me inside of him…" She sighs heavily, "I just remember…Natsu…" Her voice breaks at his name, yet she continues on, "…I was holding his hand; I was holding everyone's hands…the blast came and we were all torn apart from each other…I was thrown towards Natsu, but him away from me and…I was reaching for him…" She grabs her head and hisses as if trying to remember hurt, "…he was reaching for me…I was so close, so close to grabbing his hand…but I missed and instead caught his scarf." She reaches up and grabs the garment that was wrapped around her scrawny neck. She strokes it once, twice, before she starts up again, "I tried to pull myself towards him, but the winds were too strong, I was blown back and I must have taken his scarf with me. I remember the tree coming towards me, and I knew that it was the end, only it wasn't. Horologium appeared out of nowhere and trapped me inside of him, quickly transporting me into the Celestial Spirit World, but not after a rock hit me in the head. I was out for eight days straight, Loke had told, and immediately I had realized just how bad that was…

"When I came back to Earthland, I was on a beach. I recognized it as the one we had gone to before setting sail to Tenrou Island, and I quickly went to the nearest town. I got help from a guy who owns a café. I worked for a week to earn 10,000 jewels, a good enough sum to easily make it back to Magnolia. You know the rest." She waves her hand and takes another sip of her now lukewarm tea, closing her cold, dead eyes.

Everyone stares at her, some with tears in their eyes at her tragic story. Finally Romeo speaks up in a shaky voice, "S-so, Natsu-nii and the others…"

"Yes, Romeo." Lucy says, taking another sip of her tea. The next words that came from her were spoken in such a stoic voice that it broke the hearts of every single guild member present, "They are all dead."

**OoOoOoO**

**I know, extremely short beginning, but trust me, it'll get better! And less confusing…so pretty much, next chapter, there's going to be a whole '5 YEARS LATER' thing, and things will go from there :D I hoped you enjoyed 'Gone Away' chapter 1 of 4, and have a great day :D**

**Review and Favorite please!**

**PARADISE.x**


	2. 2 Out of 4

**Hello everyone and welcome to Gone Away ¼. So far Lucy has returned after being in the Celestial Spirit World for 8 days, which was really 2 years on Earthland, and has come back to Fairy Tail! This chapter skips 5 years ahead, so I wonder what Lucy is going to be like? XD lol I already know, but you don't XD Haha, lol, anywho I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**Review, if you will!**

**OoOoOoO**

'_Maybe in another life,_

_I can find you there,_

_Pulled away before your time_

_I can't deal, it's so unfair.'_

–Gone Away by The Offspring.

5 YEARS LATER

A young girl stands on the surface of the ocean water, defying gravity and logic. She wears a delicate smile on her equally delicate features, eyes bright with the thought of what was to come. She glances over at the Fairy Tail guild members, who stare at her in awe, before her smile broadens and she sweeps her hand out in front of her in a graceful motion. The members on the tiny wooden boat gasp at the movement and they huddle closer together, ready to defend themselves and each other if needed. Fortunately, it was not required for nothing attacked them or their boat, but instead something miraculous happened.

One moment there was nothing in the water, nothing for miles, and in the next, there it was. Tenrou Island, perfectly unscathed in every way. The guild members on the tiny boat gasp in surprise, taking in the island they thought to be extinct.

"_It's Tenrou Island!_"

"_Tenrou Island!_"

The young girl's smile softens and she then floats to Tenrou, disappearing into the trees.

"_That woman! Follow her!_"

"_Hey, wait up!_"

They steer the ship towards the island, immediately docking and all jump off the ship, running after the young girl. The air reeks of desperation as they run; giving light to the deep feelings they felt. The young girl leads them a few more meters, and through some shrubbery. She stops, floating over a large shape in the ground. The guild members can't believe their eyes as they stare down at the salmon haired, unconscious young man who was covered in rubble and debris.

It was Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander of Fairy Tail, he was _alive_!

One thing echoes through Alzack's head as a tiny smile comes to his face, the first in a long time, _Master Lucy was wrong. They aren't dead, they'll never die!_

Just then, Natsu moves underneath the rubble, moaning out something in a low tone. "…cy…." With a groan he slowly heaves himself up, back cracking as he moves. He gradually opens his deep onyx eyes before letting out a roar, "_Lucy!_" He shoots to his feet, glancing around wildly, "Lucy?! Luce, where are you?! LUCY?!" He yells, cupping his hands around his mouth. He sniffs the air, and he looks confused.

"Natsu?!" In unison the group yells, baffled beyond belief. Natsu turns and looks at them, a wild look in his eye. A few moments pass before a big grin comes to his face.

"Yo, everyone!" Natsu says with a big laugh before the life was crushed from him by the giant group hug that happened next.

One by one, each guild member that disappeared on Tenrou Island was found, except for Lucy, of course. When this occurred, Natsu immediately began to panic, "Where's Lucy?! She's gotta be around here somewhere!" He exclaims while lifting up a large boulder to see if she was under there.

"Well, one, why would she be under there? And two, she's already at the guild. We'll explain it to you once we get there…or she'll explain it to you, since she knows everything now!" Bisca says with a chuckle.

Master Marcov looks at her with a confused look, "What do you mean, Bisca-chan?"

The sharp-shooter smiles and says, "She pretty much took control of the guild when you all disappeared. That chick has an iron fist; she's even scarier than Erza-san!" She chuckles again, swiping at the tears that ran down her face.

Natsu looks at her, "Took control? So, she's _Master_ now?" He says in disbelief, trying to imagine the cute, clumsy Celestial Mage running a guild and being scarier than Erza.

Erza decides to speak up, "We will just see how 'scary' she is!" She obviously did not like her title being stolen from her as the scariest female mage in Fairy Tail.

All laugh at this, some commenting on how 'Erza never changes'. The only one who didn't laugh was Natsu, who still looked confused. He reaches up to his neck to clutch his scarf only to grab at nothing. His eyes widen and he looks down, "My scarf's gone!" He exclaims, drawing the attention of the other guild members. He becomes frantic, looking around quickly.

Alzack speaks up again, "Don't worry, we have this covered too!"

"Eh?"

"We all need to head out anyway; we don't want to keep everyone else at the guild in the dark about you all returning!"

"Right!" Everyone says, and just like that they were off, leaving Tenrou Island behind as they pile onto the boat and float away towards land.

OoOoOoO

The guild was in full on party mode, everyone was cheering and celebrating. Drinks were being passed out, and Cana was already half drunk, chugging down her fifth barrel of alcohol. Erza was eating a piece of strawberry cake and chatting with Bisca and Alzack while Levy was off hanging out with Jet and Droy. Gray was arguing in a friendly way with Gajeel, while PantherLily, Carla and Happy were socializing on the guild bar. The only one who didn't join in the fun was Natsu, who just sat in the corner, tapping his foot impatiently. _When is Lucy going to show up?! _He thought to himself as he begins to tap his fingers as well.

"_When's Lucy going to get back?" Natsu asks Macao._

_Macao smirks knowingly at the younger man and says, "Wanting to see your woman? She went on a week-long mission up in the mountains. Well, that was a week ago, so she should be back later today! How convenient, right? Now have a drink with me!"_

Natsu sighs heavily at the remembrance of the conversation he had with Macao Cabot before once again resuming his actions of tapping both his fingers and foot anxiously. He glances back over at Macao, who was drinking heavily along with Cana, both laughing loudly as they reminisced about the old days. He feels the corners of his mouth twitch upwards into a tiny smirk before he forces himself to his feet; walking over to the man he had his eyes on. He plops down next to Macao, surprising both him and the drunken Cana. Natsu smiles faintly at them, still down in the dumps that Lucy wasn't home yet, "Hey guys…so, how has Lucy been lately?" He says, jumping straight to the point. He looks into Macao's eyes, refusing to back down no matter what the older man thought.

Macao smirks and sends a knowing glance at Cana, "Someone's head over heels!"

Natsu just shrugs, "I'm just worried about her."

The older man nods, "That's perfectly normal…when you want to snog her!" He laughs loudly and Cana joins in before gulping down another gallon of beer.

A faint blush comes to Natsu's face, but he covers it up by trying to look angry, "Hardly! She probably has…_cooties_ or something!" He crosses his arms, "Now tell me what I want to know or I'll go to someone else!"

Macao sighs, "Fine, fine, makes sense you worry about her…considering everyone has for a long time now."

Natsu cocks his head to the side, "Eh? What do you mean?"

"Lucy…she isn't the same as she used to be, Natsu. …She's different from the last time you saw her, way different. She's…calculating, clever, _scary_. She will do whatever it takes to make sure we all survive." Macao sighs again, suddenly looking a million years old, "She goes on these week-long missions we've never even heard about, sometimes being away longer than necessary. She'll come back covered in bruises and with millions of jewels, higher than the original price of the mission. Sometimes she'll collapse in a bloody heap and we'll have to move her to her room in the back." He gestures to a closed door near the makeshift bar. It looked just as beat up as the rest of the guild. Macao runs a hand through his thinning grey hair, taking another swig of his drink. He sets it back down on the table with a loud _thud _before looking Natsu in the eye, "We also have some suspicions that…well, uh…" He rubs the back of his head, looking depressed.

Natsu raises an eyebrow before leaning forward, "If Lucy is in some kind of trouble you have to tell me, Macao. She's my best friend and I need to know."

Macao glances at the ground under the seriousness of Natsu's fiery gaze, "Promise you won't kill anyone?"

The fire DragonSlayer cocks his head to the side before saying, "Why would I kill someone? Whatever, I promise, so tell me." He crosses his arms, _what has Lucy been doing that is so bad? _He thought to himself as Macao opens his mouth to speak.

"We think, we being the entire guild and I, we think that Lucy…has been selling her body." Macao says, wincing a bit as if expecting Natsu to explode, literally. He could very well do that!

The sickening feeling is like a punch to the gut, and Natsu finds himself gasping softly. His onyx eyes widen as his mind immediately conjures up images of Lucy seductively pressing up against some strange man, reaching up to kiss his dirty lips, while the man slipped jewels into the stretchy band of her barely concealed underwear. Natsu's jaw drops and he whispers in a dangerously low voice, "W-what?!"

Macao could sense the building fury in Natsu, and he decides to choose his next words _very _carefully, "The suspicions got more and more close to reality so one day Bisca and I snuck into Lucy's room, and we found some…._provocative_ articles of clothing."

A deep growl is forced from Natsu as he shoots to his sandal-clad feet, a hideous scowl on his normally handsome face, "_That doesn't make her a prostitute!_" He snarls loudly, startling both Cana and Macao. Grey and Gajeel hear it as well for they turn with looks of pure confusion on their faces. Natsu is shaking as he looms over the frightened looking Macao, his skin beginning to steam from his magic responding to his anger, "Sure, you found some lingerie in her room! That doesn't mean she gives herself away for money! She owns lingerie, I've _seen it_! What makes this so different?!"

Macao puts his hands up as a sign of surrender and he says shakily, "N-Natsu, p-please calm down! I shouldn't have said it like that…we have more evidence! Y-you didn't let me finish!"

Natsu stares down at him with an expression of absolute fury, before he gives a slight nod, as if giving him permission to continue. _How dare they suspect her of doing such a thing? How could they even consider…?!_ He thought furiously in his mind, clenching his sharp teeth as Macao tries to explain further.

"Well, we also followed her Natsu, and we saw her cutting into an alley. We didn't follow her in there just in case she spotted us. When she came out again, she was dressed up in really tight, shiny things, like golden mini-skirts and furry, tight jackets, a tube top too. Her hair was all done up and her make-up was t-too." He gulps, "Before you get angrier, there's more. We followed her some more to a trashy part of town, where she stood on a street corner, just waiting. A carriage pulled up and she talked to the person inside for a moment, before she got in…we came to the only logical conclusion-"

"That she's a _whore_?!" Natsu growls out, expression darkening even more.

Macao sighs, "It makes me angry too, Natsu. Probably not for the same reasons, but still…That's the only option that makes sense. I wish it wasn't true, we all do, but life isn't fair, exhibit A being Lucy….we're not a rich guild, we can barely pay rent! But Lucy shouldn't go that low just to get jewel…" Macao takes another swig of his drink, closing his eyes and tipping his head back so the tan liquid could run down his throat and into his stomach.

Natsu stares at Macao a second longer, before turning and going back to his corner, ignoring all the questions from the people he passes. He plops down, crossing his toned arms and closing his dark onyx eyes, taking deep breaths through his nose. _Just calm down…you'll ask her about it when she gets back…When the Hell is she gonna get back anyway?! _Just like that he becomes anxious again, tapping his foot and clenching his teeth. His mind goes back to his and Macao's conversation and his mind makes even more images of men touching Lucy, her pretending she was enjoying it when really she was sobbing on the inside. He thinks up an imaginary Lucy, licking her lips in that way she had, the way she didn't know what it did to every man around her, how sexy she was. The imaginary Lucy giggles seductively and reaches into a carriage through its open window, stroking a stranger's chest, giving him but a taste of what she could really do with those hands.

White hot fury runs through him and his eyes snap open, "How dare they touch _my_ Lucy?!" He mutters to himself, instantly creating images in his brain of himself beating in the face of the stranger until he punching nothing but wet chunks of bone into the ground. The thought gave him an inch of satisfaction, but he knew that it wasn't real. He also knew Lucy would be pissed if he killed someone, even if it was to protect her honor, and he always hated it when she was angry with him. She would turn away from him, ignore him, and not laugh at the silly stuff he did just to get her attention. That was the worst, when she was so angry she completely ignored him as if he were just a passerby on the street. Personally he liked it when she bitched and complained at him, for at least then he could hear her gorgeous voice-even if it was screeching at him.

No one would touch Lucy again. She was only _his_ to touch, and he wasn't about to let someone else have her for a few dozen jewels! Suddenly, Natsu felt his anger turn towards Lucy herself, and all he could think about was how Lucy obviously had no dignity if she was willingly giving up her body for jewel. _No, stop that! It isn't her fault; Macao said she would do anything to make sure the guild had enough jewels! Lucy is just protecting Fairy Tail, as she always does, as we always do! _He thought to himself, cursing at himself for doubting Lucy for even a second. He closes his eyes again, once again resuming the tap-tap-tapping of his left foot. "When is she gonna get here?" He whines softly, wanting nothing more than just to see his best friend, to hold her and tell her he was here and she didn't have to do what she was doing anymore. He wanted to breath in her lovely scent again, feel her soft, creamy skin against his rougher, tanner skin. He wanted to run his hand through her soft, golden locks, see her sweet, sweet smile.

He needed Lucy more than he needed air.

When the guild doors suddenly burst open, Natsu launches to his feet, immediately expecting Lucy in all her gorgeous glory. No, it wasn't her, but instead a group of strange looking men. They had a certain air to them that came with many people like them, something that made Natsu want to get violent.

Their arrogance was almost overpowering.

His onyx eyes narrow as the obvious leader of the group begins to speak, and already he wanted to take this man's face and shove it through a window. "So, little fairies, where's this week's pay?" His goons agree, laughing and jeering at them, some shouting insults.

Natsu moves forward to apprehend these idiots, a dark look on his face, but someone beats him to it. The strange looking man suddenly flies forward, landing on the ground in a broken heap. His friends gasp and look back as a dark voice speaks up, definitely feminine, "You think you can just _waltz_ in here and demand jewel just because _I'm _away?!" The tone of the voice sounds like a mixture between amusement and anger. The owner of the voice walks into the guild, right between two of the man's cronies. Her cold brown eyes lock onto the fallen man and a dangerous smirk replaces the look of stoic indifference, turning her face terrifying, "How very foolish of you."

The man shakes as he attempts to get up. His friends are frozen, shivering in their obvious fear of the short woman who now walks towards both Natsu and the man. Her smirk grows-not reaching her eyes-as she leans down to look straight into the wide eyes of the man, showing pearly white teeth. The man whimpers out a humble, "O-of course not, Lucy-dono!"

A low chuckles escapes Lucy Heartphilia and she grabs the man's leather jacket, dragging him forward so that his face was inches from her's, "You got some real balls coming down here on the day I come back…I wonder what convinced you I would be gone longer than necessary?" Her tone is a low whisper, so low only the man, her and Natsu with his acute hearing sense could hear, "No matter." Slowly she lifts up the hand that wasn't holding the man's jacket, holding it close to his face, "So, little monkey, where's _this week's pay?_" She mimics him, her smirk turning maniacal, her cold, dead eyes widening in a way that made her look even more frightening!

The 'little monkey' quickly nods his head, wincing as more blood gushes from a cut in the back of his head from where Lucy striked him. He quickly reaches into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a large clip tightly holding together a thick stack of jewel notes. They were each worth 100 jewels. He places it in her hand, still shivering, "P-please, I'm sorry! W-we won't never do it again!"

Lucy cocks her pretty little head to the side and says in a mockingly sweet voice, "Funny, that's what you said two weeks back. I don't know if I should trust you again…"

"P-please!" The man squeals, looking just about close to tears.

"Lucy!" The dominating voice of Erza rings out and Natsu looks up from the surprising scene to see the red-head beauty walking over with that confident march she had, a dark look on her usually gorgeous face. "That's enough!"

Natsu stares back down at Lucy, whose smirk falls ever so slightly. She slowly looks up, directing her less brilliant smirk at the Titania, "Oh, you think so? Very well, if the great _Titania_ says so than I guess its law then, eh?" With a mocking chuckle, the older woman stands to her full height of 5'7. She pushes back her long pony tail behind her shoulder-it had fallen into her face when she leaned over-and her smirk disappears to show an indifferent mask. She looks down at the man cowering and says, "Get the fuck out of my sight you disgusting waste of skin."

The tone void of emotion was far scarier than any maniacal one. The man and his friends were quick to get out of the guild.

Erza's brown eyes narrow dangerously, "I do not know why you are acting this way, Lucy."

Suddenly Lucy's eyes flash and she says in disturbing hiss, "You will not leave off the honorific! You will call me Lucy-san." She turns on her heel, now looking towards Macao. She begins to walk away, but not before saying in a cutting voice, "Only _nakama_ can leave it off."

Erza gasps lowly, eyes widening in pain. Her jaw drops open and Natsu could have sworn he saw tiny tears in the corners of her gorgeous eyes, "L-Lucy…" She murmurs, obviously hurt but Lucy's hateful words.

Lucy ignores Erza-well, _everyone_ for that matter- as she makes her way over to Macao. She stops in front of him and says simply, "Report."

Macao looks surprised, "Uh, well, big thing happened, _our friends are back_." He says sarcastically, "What's wrong with you, Lucy? I get it if you're angry with them, but that is no reason to say something like that Erza-"

"I said _report_!" Lucy growls, slamming her fist down into the table. She narrows her eyes at him and leans forward until she was in his face, "And didn't I tell you to call me 'Master'?" Her tone near the end was amused and a tiny smirk comes to her face, once again never reaching her eyes.

Macao rolls his eyes, "No way, Lucy, I remember when you were an innocent girlie!"

Lucy pouts, "Come now, Macao, we all know I was _never_ innocent!" She barks out a laugh that echoes through the silent guild.

Natsu's eyes rake over Lucy's body, taking in the outfit she was wearing. She wasn't wearing what she used to-the miniskirts, the tight shirts-but instead a pair of army boots, baggy shorts that were tight in the butt but then flared out, a tight looking brown belt, a baggy green tank-top and…was that his _scarf_?! His Dragon-scaled scar was wrapped loosely around her neck, one end coming down to rest against the small of her back and the other stopping right on her right breast. Speaking of her breasts, her mounds weren't much bigger than before, if they grew at all. She was skinner than normal, and Natsu had a feeling that if she took her shirt off he would see her ribs in full view. She was a bit taller from last time, almost reaching Natsu's forehead. Her golden hair was far longer, pulled back into a pony tail high up on her head. Her hair-even when pulled back-reached the middle of her back, and he knew that down it would rest at the small of her back.

Macao laughs as well, and the atmosphere becomes less tense, "C'mon, Lucy, don't make an old man sad. Now, at least acknowledge that they have come back. You can't just ignore them."

A devious smirk comes to her face and she leans forward, getting in Macao's face without another thought. She has grown bolder over the years, "Maybe…if you call me Master."

Macao sighs heavily before saying grumpily, "Yeah, yeah, sure…Master."

Lucy reels back, laughing loudly. She then turns, eyes landing not on Natsu but on Gajeel of all people. His crimson eyes widen as suddenly Lucy appears in front of him. She has gotten quicker as well. She smirks hugely, almost looking like her old self, if it wasn't for those cold eyes, "Oi, Gajeel, have you asked out Le-mmmph!" She is cut off as Gajeel covers her mouth with his hand, left eyes twitching.

"Bunny Girl, I would shut yer trap if I were you!" He snarls out, but you could not mistake the faint blush on his cheeks. Lucy says something else before Gajeel rips away his hand, shivering, "Did you just…._lick_ me?!" He exclaims, eye twitching again.

Lucy laughs, a thing like bells, "Aye! That was the only way to get your hand off, you big oaf!" She giggles again before turning away. She puts her hands on her hips before trotting away, heading towards the back of the guild, towards the door that Macao had identified as Lucy's room. She turns and puts her hand on her doorknob, looking almost happy to escape.

"Lucy! Talk to _everyone_, not just Gajeel!" Macao says, standing up, "C'mon, you're probably hurting their feelings."

And just like that, Lucy's mood changes again. A dark aura comes to her, and a shadow crosses her face. She frowns deeply before slowly taking her hand off the knob. The guild goes silent once again, dreading what comes next.

"_I'm_ hurting _their_ feelings? Why don't you rewind to the long years before today before you start accusing _me_ of hurting others!" She suddenly screeches before she rips open her door and runs inside of her room, slamming and locking the door shut behind her.

The sound of the lock echoes in Natsu's head and he finds himself whimpering softly. A voice speaks up from behind him, "Auntie Lu-Lu don't mean dat! Auntie Lu-Lu loves everyone, she told me!" Natsu's eyes widen at a child's voice and he turns only to see no one there. He looks down at a sudden tug at his trousers. A cute toddler looks up at him with big brown eyes and a enormous, friendly smile. "Hi-ya! I'm Asuka, but you can just call me Asca!"

Natsu stares at the child for a moment, before smirking broadly and swooping down, grabbing her underarms and lifting her into his arms, "Hey, I'm Natsu."

Asuka nods her head and says with a big grin that never leaves her face, "I know, I've seen pictures of you! Mommy and daddy tell me stories at bedtime about things you and everyone else have done! I love them, and I love you!" She reaches over and hugs Natsu's head. Natsu's onyx eyes widen and it becomes hard to breath.

"O-oi! C-can't breathe, kid!" Natsu wheezes, but he laughs as well.

"Asuka, please don't hug Natsu-san around his head!" The cheerful voice of Bisca speaks up from her place next to Alzack, and the man laughs along with the sharpshooter.

Asuka lets go of Natsu's head, giggling, "Sorry, mommy!"

"MOMMY?!" Natsu exclaims, staring over at Bisca and Alzack.

Bisca giggles and Alzack wraps his arm around her waist, "Yep, Asuka is me and Alzack's daughter. I gave birth to her about two years ago."

Suddenly, Natsu looks sad and he glances at the ground, "I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

Both Bisca and Alzack shrug, "You're here now and that's all that matters."

Natsu smiles warmly at his two friends, feeling the familiar emotion of affection rush through him. He looks back at Asuka and smiles hugely, "So, what were you saying?"

The cute young girl cocks her head to the side, before smiling and saying sweetly, "Oh, right! Auntie Lu-Lu loves everyone, she's just also real angry! But she told me she as angrier at herself that she couldn't protect everyone. I don't get that, because I was told by mommy that Auntie Lu-Lu protects everyone!"

Natsu's eyes widen, "Well, your 'Auntie Lu-Lu' does love everyone, I'm sure of it."

"Do you love Auntie Lu-Lu, Natsu-Nii?"

A faint blush comes to his tan cheeks but he quickly covers it up with a big grin, "Of course I do! She's my best friend and I would do anything for her!"

Little did he know, the very subject of their conversation heard their every word. The blonde beauty quickly shuts the door again, locking herself in the darkness of her tiny room. Her teeth clench and her right hand comes up to stroke Natsu's scarf, a habit that Lucy acquired many years ago. She would touch it whenever she felt sad, and it always felt as if he were there with her, helping her through the pain. A single tear rolls down her emotionless face as her cold eyes stare up into the ceiling of the room. She wishes she could go out there, confront her old friends, catch up with them and perhaps even share an embrace with them…the old her would not hesitate to do so, but the present Lucy-the only one that mattered- was far more cautious and untrusting than she was. Lucy now could barely fathom the overpowering feelings of relief and happiness that threatened to suffocate her, and she had a feeling that if she were to confront it, the walls she built to keep the pain out would surely break into a million pieces. She didn't want that, the danger of feeling the pain again was enough to make her cower in fear. She was weak, she knew this well. But still, she could not-would not face the very base of her inflictions. He would tear down every defense she set up and would surely swallow her whole.

But she just wanted Natsu to hold her again.

**OoOoOoO**

**OHMIGAWD that was long. :D Just about 5, 200 words! Nice, nice….anywho, so I've been having horrible nightmares…they're horrible D: lol yea and in the earliest one, it's kind of cliché, but still…it's about zombies and such. But, it didn't focus on the fun killing of zombies, only on the sad parts. I watched as my father held back zombies so that my family and I could get away. I watched him get eaten alive, bit by bit.**

**Funny thing was, there was no blood, just pieces of him disappearing. He had smiled at me softly, like something you would see in an anime!**

**My mother was missing too, and when I looked down, so were my brother and sister. All that were left was me, my best friend Kelly and Aiyana. We all ran from a horde of zombies, and found refuge in an abandoned hotel where other survivors were staying. I remember the agonizing suffocation I felt, and I know that would only be a tenth of what I would feel if that were real. I had screamed, "FUCK!" At the top of my lungs, and I just screamed over and over again. My mom woke me up because I was screeching in my sleep. She said I was screaming something about my dad over and over again. I was sobbing uncontrollably when I woke up and for hours I sat awake in my room, texting my dad who was in Arizona at the time. I didn't tell him what happened in my dream, only that it was horrible and I missed him.**

**I haven't slept since.**

**REVIEW please! Peace!**

**PARADISE.x**


	3. 3 Out of 4

'**Ssup everyone and welcome to the 3****rd**** chapter of Gone Away! Yeah, I pretty much put everything else on hold until this story is finished 0_0 please don't hate me! I am still working on another lemon one-shot. Want a preview? –perverted grin-**

**Preview from 'What to do With an Impulsive and Possessive Dragon Boy in Heat':**

Not only does he always make me laugh, he also has got to be the densest boy in existence! I mean, seriously, I shoot him signals all the time! I wear tight shirts and skirts around him, I show off my legs, my cleavage-what man doesn't appreciate that?! Maybe he's an ass type of guy...he certainly is strange enough. God, he manages to get under my skin! I try so hard to get something from him, but to no avail...he is just unseducable!

So when he pressed me up against the wall of his bedroom and began to dry hump me, I couldn't have been more surprised.

**Well, I hope you enjoyed that :D It will come out…whenever….I…finish…it….erg :P**

**Enjoy this chapter!**

**OoOoOoO**

'_I reach to the sky,_

_And call out your name._

_Oh please let me trade,_

_I would.'_

-Gone Away; The Offspring

Everyone dies.

It's a well known fact, but people don't really talk about it often. Well, normal people don't talk about it often. I guess the ones called 'goth' or 'emo' talk about death often, but that is beside the point. Most people don't talk about it, for it is a 'catastrophe' that no one ever wishes to face.

But everyone dies, so why bother hoping it doesn't happen to you?

Lucy's 'catastrophe' happened the very day she returned from being in the Spirit World for 8 days-which was equivalent to two years Earthland time. She wasn't expecting much, really, a guild in shambles, sad and depressed faces, you know that sort of thing. What she didn't expect to see was laughter and the desperate attempt to keep the guild afloat. Not that she didn't want to see this, oh no, the sight made her heart soar and her eyes tear up, she just didn't want to get her hopes up that the guild would be so…cheerful.

But of course, it could never be as cheerful as when _they_ are partying. But Lucy doesn't want to talk about _them_; it'll only make her predicament worse. Already the walls were building, and Lucy didn't think she could break them down this time.

She remembers faintly, in the light sleep she managed to get in her tiny and dark room, seeing the looks of surprise and joy on her friends' faces when she walked through that guild door and smiled the smile she realized would be the last real one for a long time.

_Will I never smile again? _Questions such as this always race through her head when she doesn't preoccupy herself with missions, jobs, _that_ job, and other worries that inflicted her as she filled the spot of guild Master. Now, her becoming Master was never official, but people just began to look up to her as a leader, and she had willingly comforted them with the hopes of a better life, one that she would deliver to them on a silver platter the second she gets the chance.

But life is money, and money is something no one had at the time.

For five long years, Lucy had been saving up every jewel, every note, so that maybe one day in the distant future she could finally buy back that glorious guild building and see her comrades smile again.

Alas, she should have known that she could not do something like that on her own, and this was made clear when she was forced to take…_that_ job. She hated it with all her being, despised the men who would grab for her, was sickened by the clothing she was forced to wear. Most of all, she hated herself. She felt as if she no longer had any dignity, had no pride. Sometimes she felt as if she didn't _deserve_ the pride that came with being a Fairy Tail mage, and often times she would get so drunk to erase the pain that she would wake up in an alley somewhere with no memory of the past night. That was the worst, for the pain would come back tenfold just to see her scream in agony.

Yep, those times were the worst.

One good thing came out of these years though. Lucy has gotten far stronger than the clumsy and 'cute' naive little girl she used to be. She trained when she wasn't on missions, pushing her body to the breaking point and then some. Capricorn helped her, of course, teaching her breathing techniques that increased her magical power. Loke taught her many fighting moves, and now she would be categorized right up with Erza in speed and agility. Virgo taught her more about the Spirit World, and even how to open the gates to more than one spirit at a time! Now Lucy can open three gates at one time if she wished to, and still have some magical energy left over so that she wouldn't pass out-or worse die.

But no one talks about death.

The first years of missions after missions without stop were horrible, and often she would be beaten so badly she would stumble into the guild and just collapse in a heap on the floor, thanking Kami above that she actually made it home. Ha, home, the piece of shit called a guild would never be her _home_, and she prayed that her companions thought so too. The old guild building will forever be their true home, and anyone who says differently is in for a whole lot of grief.

OoOoOoO

She wakes to the sound of cheerful music playing, loud voices and laughter. For a while she stares up into the dark ceiling of her 'room'-really, it was so small it could be a broom closet!-, her cold and dead eyes locked onto one point where the darkness seemed to swirl and gather together. Scoffing lightly, Lucy closes her eyes again, trying to block out the noises of the party that took place right outside her door. She would just ignore them…maybe then they'll all go away…

_Knock! Knock! Knock! _And just like that her hopes of escaping into dreamless sleep are shattered like glass, and she resists the urge to groan. Masters don't groan because that shows weakness, Masters cheer on others that feel bad no matter what they feel themselves, because it is their responsibility to make sure everyone is cared for. This was the code the 22 year old blonde has been living by for the last five years, and she wasn't about to stop now just because some old friends showed up. Then again…Master Marcov has returned…maybe she could take a break…

She launches herself into a sitting position, teeth biting into her bottom lip. No, she is not allowed to think like that! Masters don't take breaks, and Lucy was the Master of Fairy Tail! She could not-would not-take a break…no matter how much she wanted to. _You will be punished for thinking this way, stupid girl! _She thought to herself furiously, eyes flashing with only one emotion.

Anger.

She pushes off the bed, standing to her full height. She quickly paces over to the drab desk that was but a meter away from her bed, ignoring the loud sounds of more knocking on the door. She didn't call out to them, just only opened up a drawer in the desk and took out a long, sturdy string. It was caked in some places with dried blood, but this did not bother Lucy. She has grown accustom to the sight of blood over the years and this little did not get to her. The knocking comes again and this time a voice is with it.

"_Lucy, I know you're awake in there._" It is…Natsu? His gruff and boyish voice echoes in her ears and for a moment she freezes. Only for a moment though, for in the next she is wrapping the string tightly around her neck.

"_Luce…I know you're angry, I know you probably h-hate us now, but please, don't let us spoil the fun. You should come out here too, at least say hi to everyone._"

His voice is comforting as she pulls roughly on both ends of the string, and the material gets tighter and tighter with every tug. Already it becomes hard to breathe, yet she doesn't let herself pant because she knew that Natsu would surely hear her.

"_C'mon Lucy, we all really missed you. Please, just come out; at least…at least let us see you._"

She grits her teeth as she feels a groan well up in her throat and she pulls tighter, wincing as the string began to cut into her skin. Drips of blood squeeze past the resilient string, running down the slope of her neck, pooling in the hollow between her collarbones. She can no longer breathe, but this is the price she has to pay for thinking that way. All crimes will not go unpunished, this Lucy knows well.

"_Lucy, I smell blood! Are you okay? Lucy!_" Natsu bangs on the door, his voice urgent and worried.

Slowly, Lucy unwinds the string from her neck, wincing as it exits her skin. Once off her neck, she wipes her fingers along the string, and drops of blood fly everywhere. She shoves the string back into her drawer, and she closes it slowly. Sighing heavily, Lucy turns and walks over to the door of her room while wiping the crimson liquid from her neck, grabbing Natsu's scarf off the chair next to the door. She wraps it professionally around her neck; _you're going to have to return it eventually._ She thought to herself, and she smiles softly, "Yeah, I know…" She whispers so gently that it could be a simple breath of air.

"_Lucy I will break down this door._"

Lucy's smile grows for a moment, before she erases it from her face. She reaches over and opens her door, revealing a Natsu whose foot was posed as if to break down the door. A dark look comes to her face and she growls out, "Idiot!" She walks forward and into the guild, arms crossed defiantly across her busty chest. She hears Natsu come after her and she sighs through her nose. "Macao!" She calls out.

The man she was summoning looks up from talking with Wakaba and he smiles, "Lucy! You're out and about, finally! I knew Natsu could get you out. You want something to dr-"

"Are there any new missions?" Lucy cuts him off in a sophisticated voice, cold eyes locked onto his warm ones. He is silent for a moment, along with every other person in the guild. All eyes are on them, and Lucy hated it yet she says nothing.

Sighing heavily, Macao nods swiftly, "Yeah, there is, and one of 'em ask for you especially. I guess people have heard about your accomplishments."

Lucy shrugs as if it didn't matter, "What's the pay?" To anyone who didn't know Lucy, it would seem that all she cared about was jewels, but that wasn't exactly true. She did care about the people in trouble, she really did, but…money was a bit more important. She wouldn't waste her time on low paying missions; no she would leave those for the others.

"I believe 500, 000 jewels, but it might be more. It's the maze one." Macao says before taking a large swig from his beer glass.

Lucy nods before turning to the left and heading towards a small bulletin board that acted as a makeshift Mission Board, leaving Macao and Wakaba to stare sadly after her. She grabs a paper that read, _Rid the Cursed Maze of Corpse Monsters_. She reads the description before turning back around and heading to the bar, where Mirajane had already set up shop. She looks at Lucy in surprise as she cleans a glass with a white rag and the 22 year old hands her the paper, "I would like to take this mission…Mira-chan." She adds on the last part as she stares off into space, a tiny blush on her face. She leans against the counter, one elbow propped up on the surface.

Mirajane stares at her for a moment, before a big grin comes to her gorgeous face. "Right!" She reaches across the counter and wraps her arms around Lucy's arms, dragging her into her chest. She squeals excitedly, "Oh you're so adorable, Lucy-chan! You act so tough but then you're all cute, ooooooooohhhhh! Such a _tsudere_!" She squeals again as Lucy struggles against the barmaid's iron grip.

"M-Mira….chan….c-can't…BREATHE!" Lucy says as she pushes Mirajane away from her. She smiles softly and rises up her hands in surrender, "Good to see you too, Mira-chan!"

Mirajane smiles hugely, "Oh I'm so happy you decided to come out here! We were worried about you-"

Lucy turns away mid-sentence, leaving Mirajane confused, "Yeah, yeah, you all were worried and some sensitive bullshit I haven't got any time for." She scoffs and says loudly, "Worried about me? You should be worried about yourselves and how you'll do in this _scary new world_. Things have changed since you all been here, that's for damn sure! I bet even the weakest of us could defeat all of you without so much as a drop o' sweat! Visit that doctor lady or something, I don't know. All you should care about is catching up."

Natsu decides to speak up, walking towards Lucy with a raised eyebrow, "So you're saying even Reedus could beat me?"

There was a "Hey!" from the back, most likely from Reedus himself, but both Lucy and Natsu ignore it. Lucy smirks yet it doesn't quite reach her eyes, "Yes, even Reedus could beat you and I am positive I could utterly destroy you…" Her eyes lock onto Erza, who stiffens and stares straight back, "And Erza-san too." Pain races through Erza's eyes at Lucy's formal tone, yet she says nothing and continues to stare at her.

Natsu laughs, loudly and arrogantly, "Ha! As i-" He can't even finish his sentence for out of nowhere, a leg crashes into his face and he goes flying backward, hitting a pillar and falling flat on his face. He groans before launching off the ground, staring at the cause of his tiny injury. "L-Luce?"

She is stoic again, cold eyes locked on him. She has the air of a predator to her and she begins to move forward. "I said I could utterly destroy you…" Her voice is but a whisper but he hears it loud and clear in the silent guild. He can't move as she gets in his face, having to tip her head back an inch to stare into his warm onyx eyes, "And I will do so if you challenge me. Think of this as…a warning if you shall." She slowly reaches up to brush a strand of salmon hair from his face before she closes her eyes and turns away from him, Dragon-scaled scarf flowing out behind her, just like her long pony tail.

Natsu stares at her with huge eyes before he says darkly, "Lucy…what happened to you?"

She stops dead in her tracks, stance becoming rigid. Slowly she turns her head, revealing the darkest and ugliest look Natsu has ever seen on anyone. With a side of her mouth and her nose scrunched up in disgust, Lucy says, "I grew up and stopped living in past. Your time is over, Natsu-_san_, things have changed and you better get used to them if you wanna survive!" She turns right back around and heads to the bar where she takes back the mission paper from Mirajane none-too-gently. The poor barmaid is so surprised she backs up and hits her head on a shelf. She reaches up and grabs the injured spot, one eye close as an expression of pain. Lucy halts in her angry march and she glances at the white haired woman, staring at her for a moment before sighing heavily. She trots back over to her and grabs an ice-cold beer out of Gajeel's hand-who had been standing right next to Mirajane-and he stares at her in surprise. She lifts it up and touches it gently against Mirajane's head, directly on the spot the shelf hit.

Mirajane stares at her for a moment, searching her face for something, before she smiles softly and whispers, "You know what is right and wrong, Lucy-chan. Don't do anything you'll regret."

A light scoff escapes Lucy's throat and she says sweetly to Mirajane, "Oh Mira-chan…if only someone gave me that advice years ago." And just like that she is gone, Dragon-scaled scarf trailing behind in her wake and leaving Mirajane to wonder what she could have possibly meant.

OoOoOoO

"Don't take what she says too seriously, Natsu-Nii. She just wants to protect you and this is her funny way of showing it. Is your nose okay?" Romeo Cabot speaks up from his spot next to the fire DragonSlayer, a small frown on his face. Wendy was right next to him-those two were inseparable ever since they arrived.

Natsu shrugs, thought obviously pained by how formal Lucy sounded earlier, "I'm fine." His voice sounded strange because of his bruised nose and Gray made sure he knew it.

"Hey, flame-for-brains! Got beat by a girl, eh?" The ice alchemist breaks down in laughter, holding his stomach and pointing at Natsu's blackened face.

"Shut your pie hole, pervy stripper! And get some clothes on!" Natsu yells, not even glancing at him to see if Gray actually did have no clothes on.

Fortunately for him, Gray did not, which cause the man to screech, "Shit! Where are my clothes?!" He runs around the guild, furiously look for his clothes.

Natsu chuckles along with Romeo and Wendy before looking at the two of them, "Where did Happy go?"

"He's off with Charlie and PantherLily! They all wanted to catch up with Macao and Wakaba." Wendy chirps cheerfully, a big smile on her face.

A familiar feeling of warm affection rushes through him as he looks at the girl he has come to recognize as his 'little sister'. She wasn't really his sister, but most of the time it felt that way and personally, Natsu loved to have a sister figure around. He reaches over and pats her head, "Good, good…" He sits back in his chair, and looks over at Romeo with a curious look on his handsome face, "Protecting me? From what?"

Romeo looks at the ground before meeting Natsu's intense onyx eyes, "The world, I guess. Big sister Lucy really cares about everyone, I can tell by the way she talks with everyone. She acts indifferent and tries to be distant, but if you look deep enough, you can see that she wants to just see everyone smile."

"Well her kick to my face didn't make me smile, that's for sure!" Natsu exclaims before guffawing loudly. Romeo begins to laugh too and soon Wendy joins in until they are all laughing so hard it hurt. They continue to chortle for a good minute before they finally calm down, the excitement of the day finally taking a toll on their sanity.

Wendy smiles and begins to swing her legs, scrapping her toes against the ground, "I miss the old Lucy…the one that wouldn't hesitate to actually make us smile."

Romeo looks at his crush and says, "Big sister Lucy is just scared."

"Scared?!" Natsu says, "That girl could take on a speeding train without so much as a bat of an eye!"

The younger boy chuckles before saying, "That may be true, but that isn't the fear I am talking about. There are many different types of fear, Natsu-Nii, and Lucy has a special kind. I think she has gotten used to living without the need for help, so now that you all have showed up offering friendship and such she feels that trusting again would be the end of her." Romeo finishes. His little speech surprised Natsu, and the older man leans forward.

"When did you grow up?" Natsu questions, eyebrow raised.

Romeo chuckles softly, "Big sister Lucy ain't the only one who aged, you know!"

_Yeah…._Natsu thought to himself, _and that's what worries me_. He watches as Romeo smiles softly at Wendy and the two begin to talk. Romeo was now seven years older than Wendy, yet their relationship was just the same. Him changing both physically and mentally didn't faze Wendy at all so…why did Lucy's added on years affect their situation so much? Why couldn't they go back to their tight friendship?

_Luce…I want to see you smile again._

OoOoOoO

Lucy returns in the middle of the night nearly three days later.

Natsu smelled the blood before she appeared, a sharp metallic scent that filled his insides with lead-like dread. He rushes towards the front guild doors and just as he gets to them, one slide open slowly, revealing a bloody and broken-bodied blonde who was panting heavily from exhaustion. Sweat practically drips from her face, hands and underarms, and a large cut across his eyebrow gushes crimson. Her cold brown eyes land on Natsu and a tiny smile etches across her features, "Y-you're still…a-a-awake, eh?" She pants between every word, looking as if she were about to collapse, "Y-you sh-sh-should be asleep by now, s-s-stupid-d!" She tries to scold him, but it is weak and pathetic because of her state. She moves forward, stumbling like a drunkard before she stops, face pale and eyes wide in the intense pain she was going through.

Natsu quickly rushes to her side, "Luce! What happened to you?!" He supports her by leaning her head onto his shoulder and leading her over to a chair. He pushes her down gently, and she complies gratefully, sitting down in the wooden chair with a tiny squeak of pain. He pushes bloody golden hair from her eyes and inspects the wound in her forehead. No one else was in the guild; everyone else had chosen someone else to go home with. He had earlier felt sorry for Macao who was forced to share his tiny shack a few blocks from the guild with both Erza and his son. He shivers at the thought of what Erza might do to the helpless Macao and Romeo, but he forgets all of that in the predicament.

"M-mission…a bit harder than it seemed…s-s-sh-should've expected s-s-something…more…" She lets her breath go with her last word and for a moment Natsu was truly frightened that she was dead. But the steady rise and fall of her chest comforted him as he reaches down and ripped a strand of cloth from Lucy's tank-top, something that did not go unnoticed by the blonde. "W-what're yo-ou d-d-doin'?" She manages to get out, looking at him through hazy eyes. Even through all of this, they were still as cold as ice, something that scared Natsu even more than her wounds.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He presses the cloth to the horrid gash along her eyebrow, trying to stop the flow of blood, "I'm helpin' you. Now shut up and let me attempt to patch you up." He stares into her eyes as the blood seeps into the thick cloth, making the green turn brown from the crimson. He frowns slightly, knowing it would take more than this to stop the bleeding, "Shit…gotta get Wendy." Lucy decides to speak up, moaning something that Natsu could barely make out. He leans towards her, trying to hear her better. "What?"

"D-don't…" She moans, "S-she's…sleeping…"

"So? I'm pretty sure your life is more important to her than sleep." Natsu says sharply, narrowing his gorgeous onyx eyes at her. Lucy shakes her head slightly, something that caused her great pain. Natsu could tell by the way she gritted her teeth and how her sweat intensified. He scowls darkly, "Don't move, idiot! Now stay here, I'm going to get Wendy. Lucky for you, Macao told us you wouldn't care if she slept in your room. Convenient, right? Just hold that against your wound…" He picks up her hand-which was clammy beyond belief-and presses it against the material. When he lets go, he is relieved to see that she is able to hold it in place. He begins to walk away, but is stopped by her voice.

"H-hey…" Her voice is weak, yet held some form of urgency to it. He turns back around and she continues, "T-t-tell anyone…an' you're d-d-dead-d…N-Natsu…"

_She left off the honorific…SHE LEFT OFF THE HONORIFIC! _He silently cheers in his mind before grinning at her and saying in a boyishly cute voice, "Right, whatever you say, _Master_." He chuckles lightly before continuing onto Lucy's room, leaving Lucy to stare after him with wide eyes. Once he reaches the door, he knocks softly before opening the door, casting a faint glow on the young girl who was curled up underneath the sheets with a white Exceed and a blue Exceed. He smiles softly before rushing to the side of the bed and shaking her shoulder.

Wendy awakes slowly, irises sliding over in her lids to land on Natsu. She looks confused, "Natsu? Do you need something? Is something wrong, what has happened?" She rises to a sitting position, looking at him with tired eyes.

Natsu smiles and says, "Luce just came back and well, she's hurt real bad. Could you help her out?"

The Sky DragonSlayer's eyes widen before she nods her pretty little head and jumps from the small bed, her clean nightgown flowing around her, making her look truly like an angel. She rushes past Natsu and into the guild hall, reaching the injured Lucy quite quickly in her haste. Lucy smiles softly at Wendy and whispers something Natsu couldn't hear. It seems to calm down the younger girl though, for her movements were less panicked.

It happens so quickly Natsu wasn't sure if it really happened, but, for a moment, he could have sworn he saw a spark of life in those cold, dead eyes of her's. Of course, as quickly as it came, it was gone, replaced with the stoic chips of ice. Sadness weighs Natsu's shoulder down, and he moves forward, coming to a stop next to the two girls. Well, one girl and the other a fully grown woman, but you get the point. He watches as Wendy does her thing, her tiny hands glowing a bright blue as she begins to heal the terrible head wound that inflicted Lucy. She winces as she presses her hands onto the wound, and Natsu felt sorry for her but also felt a pang of pride when she grits her teeth and forces her lips into a comforting smile. Even now, in all the pain she was in, Lucy still managed to make sure everyone else was alright, "N-n-nicely do-done, W-Wendy-chan…I-I hope this isn't t-too muc-ch of a-a bother." Her voice is still shaky but getting better as the wound closed up. Natsu was amazed by how Wendy sped up the process of cell growth, and in the next moment, Lucy was no longer bleeding and all that remained of the terrifying wound was a long scar and plenty of bruises.

"I-I have another one…" Lucy mutters, looking into Wendy's face. The younger girl was panting, but looked willing to help her friend. Lucy nods and grits her teeth and clenches her eyes shut as she forces herself onto her feet. Natsu is immediately by her side, resting his hand on her stomach and the other on the small of her back. That's when he feels it-the sticky, warm liquid coats his hand, and when he draws back the limb it is drenched in blood. His onyx eyes go huge and he looks at Lucy.

"Why didn't you tell me this from the start, Lucy?!" He demands, gaining her eye-contact.

She shrugs, even this motion caused her great pain, and her face grows paler, "I-I d-didn't think it was a-all that important."

"Not important? Lucy, this wound looks horrible!" Wendy scolds, gesturing for Natsu to lay the young woman down on a table, back facing the ceiling. "Would you remove her skirt, Natsu?"

Natsu nods, not affected in the slightest by Wendy's odd request. Lucy glances up at him as he removes his scarf from her neck. He drapes it across a chair's back before he slowly lifts up her shirt, being careful of the deep gash that marred her otherwise perfect pale skin. Many bruises decorated her back and ribs-which he could see so well that he could count them-and they looked especially painful, especially the yellowish looking ones. He lifts the tank-top over her head and pony tail, throwing it to the side without care. She is wearing a tight crimson brazier, the blood almost blending in with the color. She winces as Wendy gets to work on the disgusting wound. Natsu's nose scrunches up at the reeking stench of the ailment. "Lucy, how long have you had this?"

Wendy answers for her, "By the looks of it, a good two hours. Lucy why didn't you try to stop the bleeding?"

Lucy tries to shrug but fails, and instead looks up at Wendy. She had folded her arms underneath her head and she was resting her chin on them, "I tried, but when I began to move it would just start up again. I would attempt to stop the bleeding, but every time I walked it would just keep on bleeding, so I decided to rush back so that I could rest. No biggie, Wendy-chan, I've been through tougher sh-" She cuts off and instead says, "Stuff than this."

Wendy sighs, "You can curse around me, Lucy, I'm not a child anymore."

"Wendy-chan…" Lucy scoffs and smirks amusedly up at the younger girl, "To me you'll always be a cute little girl." Wendy 'hmph's and scowls darkly at her wound, putting a bit more pressure on it than necessary. "Ouch! Wendy-chan, don't kill me!" Lucy exclaims.

Wendy rolls her eyes, "Suck it up, Lucy! You've been through tougher _stuff_, right?" Heavy sarcasm was practically dripping from her tone.

Lucy laughs loudly, mostly because the pain from her wounds had disappeared, "Yeah, yeah, whatever Wendy-chan. You done yet?"

Wendy nods, bringing back blood stained hands. She stares down at her tiny limbs and squeaks, "My hands are covered in blood!" She exclaims, looking very distressed.

It was Natsu's turn to roll his eyes and he chuckles softly, "You're a healer, Wendy, and blood bothers you?"

"Whatever, I'm going to go wash my hands and go back to bed." Wendy says before turning and trotting away. She is stopped by Lucy speaking up.

"Oi, Wendy-chan!"

Wendy turns and looks at Lucy in curiosity, "Yes, Lucy?"

Lucy sits up, crossing her legs and leaning back into her palm that rest flat against the table top. She smirks at the younger girl and says devilishly, "Remember this well, Wendy-chan, tell anyone and I might just have to eat you." She snaps her jaws together at the end, startling Wendy. The girl sweat drops and nods quickly before swiftly walking away, obviously disturbed by Lucy's statement.

Natsu cocks his head to the side before shrugging it off and smiling softly at Lucy, "So, tell me what happened on the mission." He crosses his arms across his toned chest that was barely covered by a slightly tattered vest.

Lucy looks at him with emotionless brown eyes, before she says in a bored, "When I got there, I went through the creepy ass maze like the dud told me to, and then I came across the monsters I had to get rid of. I managed to get plenty of 'em no sweat, but after the fifteenth one I had to call out Leo and Aries, and then I called out Taurus for what I thought was the last one. About then I was feeling pretty drained so I called back the three of them and decided to get out of there. It took me a few hours to find my way back…" She giggles bashfully, something Natsu found to be quite adorable, and scratches the back of her head, "Mazes are not my friends. Anyway, I finally got back, tired as fuck, and I went to go get my pay. On the way up to the creepy mansion where the guy lived, I was attacked by this corpse monster that was ten times bigger than all the others-it could talk too. It told me the usual stuff, you know how it was going to defeat me and devour me whole and all that shit.

"While it was yammering on and on about how it was better than me in every way, I had gotten the upper hand and was sure I beaten it. Then he striked me across my forehead, which distracted me for a moment and then he managed to get me in the back. Then he died. So…victory for me!" She cheers faintly with a big grin on her face. Once again, her eyes are emotionless, but at least she was smiling.

Natsu smiles faintly at her before his attention was drawn away from her face to somewhere…lower. He and she both had completely forgotten that she wasn't wearing a shirt, and God damn she looked great in red. He gulps softly before he rips his eyes from the pale mounds that hid behind a thin bra to find that she was looking at him with a surprised look. He feels awkward under her glare so he looks away, staring into the ground.

"Did you…like what you saw?" She asks in a small voice, something so unlike this 'new Lucy'. He looks up to see her looking away from him, a tiny blush on her cheeks. She was still leaning back into her palms, giving him a clear view of her large breasts and the dip of her smooth, taunt, sexy stomach…oh God, he was beginning to drool! He was such a pervert!

Well it was her fault for looking like such a Goddess!

Natsu's onyx eyes widen and he stutters out, "E-eh?" _Eh? EH?! That's so uncool! She probably thinks you're a loser now! _

Lucy scoffs before leaning forward, shielding her breasts from view, "Forget it. Hand me my top, will you?"

The fire DragonSlayer nods faintly before turning away and grabbing the discarded material that lies on the cool guild floor. He hands it to her, now refusing to look anywhere near her. He hears her grunt and groan as she is forced to move her sore limbs to pull the shirt over her head. He turns to see her still struggling with the garment, mouth a thin white line in the pain she was feeling. He reaches up and grabs her hands, making her eyes snap open to stare at him, "What are you doing?" Lucy whispers.

Natsu stares into her cold eyes and he says simply, "Helping you put your shirt on. Just put your hands up, will you?"

Lucy watches him for a moment with an almost untrusting glare, before she slowly takes her hands away from the tank top and raises them in the air, bending them at the elbow a bit so that Natsu could reach them. He easily slips it down her arms, past her elbows and to her head. He gazes into her eyes before he drags the shirt over her head, blocking her face from view. He tugs it down, his hands passing over each of her breasts slowly, almost touching yet never fully stoking them. He feels her shiver as his fingers trail down her stomach as he brings the tank top to a rest at her waist, the garment a bit shorter because he ripped a piece off the bottom. His eyes lock onto her's again and he prayed to Kami above that she didn't know how much he was enjoying this. Well, he would enjoy it more if he was taking the top _off_, but that's beside the point.

"Natsu…" She whispers in that sweet voice she has, drawing his attention to her full lips. He stares at them, taking in their pink color, the way they beckoned him, daring him to taste her…He was being perverted again, but Natsu was too far gone to care. He leans down towards her, face inches from her's. He could feel her warm breath against his cold skin and it felt so nice Natsu just about lost all control then and there.

No, he had to be careful, he had to choose what he did next very cautiously, for this could back-fire and end very badly for the both of them.

Lucy stares into his eyes, neither pulling away nor instigating some action. She just stares at him, as if waiting for him to continue, to do whatever he had to do. He stares right back at her, wondering in his mind if he should continue or not.

"_Did you…like what you saw?"_ She had asked him this with that gorgeous little blush on her face that just about drove him wild. The way she had looked so…bashful was reason enough for the sudden movement of Natsu's head. He pushes himself forward, hands on either side of Lucy's hips. His slightly chapped lips move forward to capture her's, and by God it felt so great to finally taste her. The kiss was slow at first, both sides nervous and unknowing, but then Natsu pushes forward, leaning a bit into Lucy. His hands come up to grab her waist and she moans into his mouth at his rough touch. _Ah, she likes it when I hurt her a bit…interesting._ He thought to himself as he is forced to break away from her to breathe.

A trail of saliva locks the two together, and Lucy stares up at him with the same cold eyes…no there was something different, they weren't as…icy. A certain warmth invaded them, something that made Natsu's member twitch and his pants feel tighter. Her hands were resting on his chest, her finger drawing circles in his warm skin. He shudders at her light touch and she says softly, "Natsu…I-I can't…"

He looks at her with wide eyes, "Huh?"

Lucy looks at the ground next, face a tomato red from the kissing, "I can't do this, Natsu! I-I spent too much time making sure I was impenetrable** [A/N:No perv comments allowed! -_-]** and I ain't about to let you just waltz in here and get to me so easily! You were _gone_ for so long and you expect me to forgive you? Just like that? I'm sorry, Natsu, but I'm not like the others, I'm not a forgive and forget type of gal. It's gonna take a whole lot more to convince me I can trust you again!"

Natsu stares at her with wide, hurt eyes, "L-Lucy…"

She shoves him away and he stumbles back-mostly in surprise, if he had known this was coming, her push wouldn't have gotten him very far-, "That's Lucy-_san_ to you, now! Whatever we had in the past is gone now, you hear?! You're gonna have to start all over again if you want me to trust you again!" She jumps off the table, curling her hands into bruised fists. Her face was no longer red out of embarrassment, now it was because of anger. She begins to screech at him again, "And so far you're doing a pretty poor job!"

His body begins to shake, "L-Lucy….why are you…?"

"You missed _everything_, Natsu! You missed Bisca and Alzack's wedding! You missed Bisca announcing she was going to have a kid! You missed the tears shed for you, the desperate cries for help! You missed the horrid years we spent mourning over you all…you missed how much I screamed for you…" She is staring at the ground now, her entire body shaking, a shadow cast across her beautiful face, "I wanted you every day…I wanted to see your face, hold you close…I wanted to touch your soft hair, and maybe someday…kiss your lips…" A single tear rolls down her face and falls to the floor, and Natsu could have sworn he heard it.

"Y-you're right…I did miss everything…and I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you." Natsu says, gulping lowly. He hated it when Lucy cried, but he didn't know what to do. He slowly reaches towards her, wanting to wipe away her tears.

Lucy rears back, away from Natsu's outstretched hand. She stares at it like it was a snake, usually cold eyes filled with fear, "D-don't…just don't, Natsu." She suddenly rushes past him, brushing up against his shoulder. An eerie coldness floods through him, and for some reason, he felt as if this would be the last time he would ever feel her touch again. He watches her walk to the guild doors, and she opens one, entire body shaking in some emotion Natsu couldn't name. She glances back at him and says in the coldest voice he has ever heard, "You can sleep on the floor of my room." In a blink of an eye, she was gone, disappearing into the night as quick as a flash.

The only things left that indicated that she was even ever there was his Dragon-scaled scarf and the lingering scent of cherry blossoms.

**OoOoOoO**

**Aw, don't you feel bad for Natsu? God damn this was long! Probably the longest thing I have ever written…and posted onto Fanfiction. I've written far longer things about random shit XD lol well I hoped you enjoyed this chapter of Gone Away and I look forward to DAZZILING you all with the finale chapter of this story and the steamy lemon that comes with!**

**REVIEW!**

**Love you all!**

**PARADISE.x**


	4. 4 Out of 4

**Helllllooooooooooooooo everybody! HEADS UP I DECIDED TO NOT PUT LEMONS IN MY STORY. ATER WRITING THIS CHAPTER OUT IT SOUNDED SO MUCH BETTER WITHOUT LEMONS. SORRY, BUT THERE IS SEX BUT IT ISN'T GRAPHIC! Thank you~!**

**Sigh, I wasn't expecting to get so many reviews and support! This story was just some random thing I thought up while I was laying in bed one morning, and I truly had no idea where to go with it. But you all helped me come up with such great ideas for it, and for that I would like to thank you! You guys don't judge me; you guys don't think I'm strange for writing fan fictions, and that what really makes me happy. My parents found my documents for fanfiction, and immediately they jumped to all sorts of conclusions! I'm happy I can share **_**this**_** side of me with someone, even if I don't know who they really are in person. But hey! That makes everything better, yes? Ha, ha! Well, thank you all and I hope you enjoy the FINALE of GONE AWAY!**

**OoOoOoO**

'_Leaving flowers on your grave,_

_To show that I still care,_

_But black roses and Hail Mary's,_

_Can't bring back,_

_What was taken from me.'_

Gone Away; The Offspring

It is sometimes very difficult to forgive those who have harmed you, even if they are truly regretful of what they have done. Sometimes, even if it is someone you love and trust, you can't just forgive and forget. Especially if they went so far as to betray your trust and leave you all alone for five long, damaging years.

The months after Natsu and his friends' return had gone by in a flash, and pretty soon snow began to fall in Magnolia. Everything was decorated in white, the buildings, the streets, the tall, dead cherry blossom trees…everything looked so flawless, perfect in every way.

And Lucy hated it. The pristine gleam the world gave off was sickening to her for it reminded her of a time where everything in her life was perfect, the time of her life when she was weak. Now she as strong-she could slay every foe in her path, this she was certain of. She loved the feeling of power she felt when her enemies fell to their knees in defeat, too distracted by their painful wounds to care about the dignity they lost by begging her to let them live. Of course, Lucy always let them live, she may love fighting, but she hated murder.

The young woman drags her feet through the snow, amazed at how much there was. It reaches her mid-calf as trudges through the stuff, making her skin be assaulted by feelings of icy numbness. She shivers violently, crossing her arms across her chest. She had ditched her usual green tank-top for a thicker long-sleeved shirt made from soft cotton, and she was wrapped up in a giant, black coat that was made from both fleece and wool. Aries and Virgo had made it for her, bless their warm hearts. She had been so thankful she had immediately hugged both of them and took them out to eat something warm. Aries had denied furiously Lucy 'wasting her money' and had tried to pay for it herself…but Aries did not have any money, obviously. She was a spirit, why would she need Earthland currency? Lucy had chuckled and waved off the lamb spirit's concerns, easily paying for both her and Virgo's meals. They had chatted for hours until Aries and Virgo felt drained from being on Earthland too long, and then they had to return to the Spirit Realm.

Lucy felt strangely lonely after they left, and she had not the slightest inkling to why that was. Maybe, just maybe, it was because she has distanced herself from just about everyone in the guild-even the ones who didn't disappear for seven years. She could easily tell they were all worried about her and how she showed her face less and less in the guild as time went by, but this only happened because she went on so many missions. They just took up all of her time! Add on the excessive and rigorous training she forces herself to endure and her _other_ job; she had not a single second left in neither day nor night to socialize with her guild mates. But today, she swore to change that! She was headed over to the guild now, prepared to face her comrades with an attitude of friendliness and pride! She thinks up scenarios to what might happen as she pushes through the icy snow, _maybe I'll announce a party…spend some of the money I saved to pay on extra booze and snacks…of course with the others back that might not be necessary. Already the guild is taking a turn for the better! _For some strange reason, her insides twist with the green monster of emotions-jealousy. She stops in her tracks and stares into the sky, not even reacting as snowflakes hit her pale and emotionless face.

_Jealous? What is there possibly to be even remotely jealous of? _She questions herself, a tiny frown finding its way to her mouth, tugging the corners of her lips downwards. She ponders her situation when suddenly a small voice worms its way into her mind, _maybe you're jealous that it isn't you helping them to their feet, but Natsu and the others…_

As quickly as the thought comes she banishes it, gritting her teeth and bringing her head down to face forwards, "No!" She seethes, nostrils flaring, "I will not let some petty _emotion_ ruin this day! I will face my friends and have fun for once in my life!" She continues on, ignoring the strange looks people gave her-all most likely thinking the blonde unofficial Guild Master has finally gone crazy.

OoOoOoO

When Lucy pushes open the doors, she is not surprised to see a party all ready in progress. A tiny smirk replaces the frown on her face, and she moves forward without the slightest hint of hesitation. She walks straight up to the Natsu and Gray, who were in mid-brawl. Her tiny smirk grows into a full-fledged demonic grin as she grabs both of their shoulders, stopping their actions. They look at her in surprise; mouths open in gaping 'o's, eyes filled with questions. Lucy chuckles softly before saying in a loud voice, "Next round of drinks are on me!"

The guild erupts into cheer, and Natsu looks down at her with cheerful onyx eyes, "Lucy! I knew you would come!" He wraps his big arms around her, crushing her into a hug, one that she gladly gave herself over to…

The fantasy ends with a pop in her mind and Lucy sighs softly from her place peeking out from behind the ajar guild door. She watches her friends socialize and party with a depressed, gloomy air to her. _This is what I get for ignoring them for so long…they move on without me. _She thought to herself before she let herself move fully into the guild, silently shutting the door behind her. She takes in her surroundings with a professional eye, noting the things that were happening and how she could avoid them. _No! Stop thinking like that! You were going to improve your behavior, not make it worse by dodging _fun_ things! Just get in there and…be yourself…_

Well, how could a person do that when they have been pretending to be someone else for five years?

She finds that her palms have become sticky with nervous sweat and she quickly wipes them on her pants, hoping that no one noticed her yet. It was far hotter inside than it was outside, and suddenly, all Lucy could think about was that her jacket was suffocating her. She grips the zipper and tugs downwards, managing to unzip the coat without any hassle. She slips the garment off and turns to hang it on a hook near the front door. She pauses for a moment as she catches the material on the edge of the rusty hook, staring off into space. She has been doing this a lot lately. _Don't feel nervous, don't feel nervous, don't feel nervous…_She thought to herself, yet she gulps loudly before turning towards the cheerful guild. The young woman attempts to smile, but it looked more like a painful grimace, so she stops. Running a scarred hand through her long, golden locks she gradually makes her way further into the guild, forcing her legs-that felt much like iron at the moment-to move. _One foot forward, the next one follows…_ She coaches herself as she approaches a table where a group of her comrades were sitting, drinking and bickering.

_Stop looking so nervous, woman! They are you _nakama_, it's not as if they'll all suddenly burst into flames! _She glances over at Natsu, who was arguing loudly with a shirtless Gray, _okay, scratch that, _he _might, but no one else will! _She gulps again before clearing her throat dramatically; drawing the attention of the people at the table she approached. They consisted of Juvia Loxar, Elfman Strauss and Erza Scarlet. She tries her best at a smile, which turns out to be a tiny quirk at the corner of her mouth. She gives a friendly wave before saying in the strongest voice she could muster, "H-hey…" Yeah, she not only stuttered, but whispered too. Worst unofficial Guild Master ever. She winces at the way she greeted them, but the others didn't seem to notice. They were all amazed that she even showed up in the guild, more or less was talking to them!

Elfman was the first to speak, his big boisterous loud enough to rival Natsu's, "Lucy! Sit and have a drink with us! It is _man_!"

_What the Hell does that even mean? _Lucy thought as she pulls up a chair from another table and sits down between a surprised Juvia and a suspicious looking Erza. Lucy tries to sit up straight and proudly, but she finds it increasingly difficult as the red-head next to her shoots her a stare. Lucy looks at her and says, "H-hey…Erza-san…"

Erza stares at her for a moment longer, before grinning broadly and smacking Lucy on the shoulder. The young woman winces at the hit, but she knew Erza meant well, "Lucy-san, I am glad you decided to show up!" She's really loud too, and even more people turn and notice the blonde. Her face goes red yet she just nods and smiles, too nervous to say anything and too scared to try just in case she vomited the second she opened her mouth.

"Luce?" A curious voice pipes up and along comes Natsu Dragneel with handsome inquiring onyx eyes. The second they land on the young anxious blonde they brighten up with feelings of heavy affection. And just like that, Lucy wants to crawl into her shell of stoic separation from everyone. This boy…how easily he makes her blush! Over the last few months he had been striving to gain her trust again, and he was doing a pretty good job of it. He had tagged along on many of her missions, gotten her out of a few tight spots and even helped her manage what would be considered an S-Class quest. She had felt herself being drawn to him, even more so than the old days, and truth be told…it frightened her considerably. She wasn't ready yet to forgive him, but obviously fate had different plans-whether she liked it or not. Already her shell was crumbling, and it just about destroyed her.

With pink cheeks, Lucy says sharply, "That nickname annoys me!" Oops, that came out a bit harsher than she had intended. She could tell by the way his eyes immediately went to the ground, how his shoulders slumped and by the angry muttering among her guildmates. She sighs heavily and bites her bottom lip, "I-I mean…ah shit!" She suddenly wails, startling those around her. Natsu's head snaps up and he stares at Lucy, wondering what was going through her mind. Lucy abruptly stands up; throwing the chair she was sitting in to the ground with a loud _crack_. She crosses her arms across her busty chest in an almost defiant manner, but what she was so rebellious against was a mystery. She continues to rant and the guild members listen-some with amused faces, some with knowing smiles, but most were just surprised. "I'm no good at this! I'm sorry, okay?! I've been a real bitch lately! Old habits die hard, I suppose…God, all of you have no idea how incredibly _nerve-racking_ this is! Not that I'm really complaining, because even unofficial Guild Masters like myself don't do that…shit, I'm makin' an even bigger mess of this! I was all pumped up to come marching down here and announce that I was going to throw a party for all of you, even buy more booze using the jewel I've been savin' up…What a pussy I am, even considering such a sissy act!" She drags a hand down her face before looking straight into Natsu's eyes, "I'm sorry for snappin' at'cha…don't get so sad so easily just because I yell at you, it's pathetic! So, chin up, and pick what booze you want _because it's on me_!" She screeches the ending, almost looking angry yet the blush on her cheeks was definite.

Natsu stares up at her with wide eyes and a huge mouth for a long moment, and the guild follows suite, before an enormous grin comes to his handsome face and he thrusts his fists into the air, "Yeah, this is gonna be an awesome party!"

Cheering erupts all around Lucy, alarming the poor woman. She stands not-so-calmly, twitching every now and then, as people clap her on the back and cheer her name. Lucy nods her head up and down with a look of mild irritation on her face before she murmurs to herself, "Well, that went well." She winces as suddenly an arm swings around her shoulders and a body presses into her's. She tilts her head to be staring straight at Gray Fullbuster, her _ex_-teammate. He smiles hugely at her, obviously not aware of his lack of clothing. Lucy raises a blond eyebrow and says, "Do you need something, Gray-san?" Her tone is completely formal and void of emotion, much different from earlier when she was screaming at Natsu.

A look of pain flashes across his handsome face, but only for a moment, for in a split second he is smirking a giant grin, "What's with this suddenly? Yelling at flame-brain I get, but suddenly announcing a party?" He cocks his head, dark eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Lucy frowns heavily and crosses her arms across her busty chest, turning away from the ice alchemist but not leaving his arm, "What, can't I treat my _nakama_ to a good time?!" She snaps hotly.

Gray raises his hand in surrender, "Easy, tiger! I just wanted to know what you're playing at."

"I ain't playing a game!"

"Sure you aren't, you just waltz in here and announce a party? Someone like you wouldn't just randomly do this without some reasoning behind it."

She suddenly feels deeply offended. He thought that just because she hasn't forgiven them, being nice to all of them meant that she wanted something more? Lucy scoffs and pulls herself away from Gray, surprising the mage man. She turns to stare at him in the eye and she roars, "I don't need a reason to help you all have fun! Little whelp, you should be on your knees thanking me for this kindness!" Once again the guild goes silent, all attention on the two. Lucy fumes, hating how easily she seemed to get attention these days. _Come on, Lucy, you're starting to spoil the fun you created. _She thought to herself, but she knew she could not back out of a fight, especially with Gray of all people.

Gray narrows his eyes at her, "On my knees? Hardly! You've been a bitch to everyone since we've come back, and I'm pretty sure you were even before that! Why are you acting like such a jerk, Lucy?" His voice was rising with every word, and she knew everyone in the guild could hear what they were discussing.

_I'm…a jerk? _Lucy thought to herself with wide eyes. She stares at Gray for a moment before turning away sharply, "I-I just….I just wanted to…" She tries to say, utterly failing. She clenches her fists and her body begins to shake with unknown emotions. She sighs heavily and runs a scarred hand across her worn down face, "You'll never understand, Gray-san. Of course, why would you? What I think doesn't concern you. Now, just shut up about it and go have fun!" She says gruffly and just like that she feels her iron walls enclosing her heart again.

People stare as Lucy reaches into her pocket and pulls out an enormous wad of jewel notes. She throws them onto the nearest table and she says in a loud voice to get everyone' attention, "Use this to buy extra alcohol if needed. I'll be in my room if you need more." A shadow passes over her face and she continues on towards her room in the back of the guild. Once she gets to her room, she rips open the door and rushes inside, _thank God, that was too much for me! _

The sound of her door slamming echoes through the silent guild, driving a spike of guilt deep into Gray's heart.

"Great going, Gray, you destroyed what little confidence she had. Do you know how much it probably took her to even show her face in the guild in the middle of the day?" Macao barks, shaking his head angrily. He takes a swig of his beer before fixing Gray with a glare.

Gray scratches the back of his head and stares at the ground, "Yeah, yeah, I already feel bad. You don't have to rub it in my face Macao."

The older man scoffs, "I think you'd rather have me yell at'cha than what Natsu has in store for you." He gestures over to his left and Gray follows his gaze to see Natsu with a dark look on his face.

"Gray…" He growls out, one side of his lip pulled up into a look of pure disgust, "I'm going to _fry_ you!" His fists suddenly light on fire, "Start running, ice prick!"

The ice mage barely has time to run before Natsu's on him like white on rice and his yelps of pain are heard throughout the entire guild.

OoOoOoO

_You make everyone's lives worse. You are pathetic, Lucy, you're so weak and predictable. You're an attention whore that deserves worse than death. You're a bitchy slut, and your job just proves it. _Lucy thought to herself, clenching her fists as she shoves articles of clothing in her suitcase. A golden mini-skirt here, a tight black tube top there, some stilettos…Perfect! She was ready for her _other_ job. She could remember the day she purchased all these clothing, the way the cashier stared at her…Lucy had just about ripped her head off! The memory makes her chuckle humorlessly as she zips up the large case. She tugs it off her bed and continues on towards her door once again. _Okay, just open the door, run through the chaos and get to the front doors! Do not stop for anything! _She thought to herself, _wait, shit, I have to tell Macao how long I am leaving…I think about three weeks this time? Yeah, that's enough to get me plenty of jewels…_

With a heavy sigh, Lucy reaches over a grabs the bronze door knob to her room and turns it, wrenching open the door. _Okay, run!_ She thought and her legs move in a hurry. She ignores the looks of surprise as she maneuvers around partying and socializing guild members. Her cold brown eyes land on Macao and relief clouds her brain-he was in a drinking contest with Cana, it seems. That was very idiotic, the man will surely loose against that drunkard. Lucy rolls her eyes as she approaches quickly and she comes to a halt by Macao's side. She leans down and whispers in his ear, "_Very stupid going against Cana._"

Horribly surprised, Macao lurches forward and spits out the warm liquid in his mouth all over the place, thoroughly drenching Cana in hard liquor. She curses loudly and fixes the two of them with a deadly stare. Macao looks up at Lucy and cocks his head a bit to the side and says, "You need something Lucy?"

"No, I just wish to inform you that-" Lucy is cut off by Macao finishing her sentence for her.

"'I'll be leaving for three weeks, you're in charge while I am gone, no messing with the council, keep the noise level to a minimum and make sure nobody dies,' yeah, yeah I got it." He says hurriedly and waves her off with a flick of his hand. Lucy stares at him with wide eyes for a moment before she regains her professional composure and coughs lightly.

"Yes, exactly…uh, so I'll see you in a few weeks, then?" Lucy says awkwardly, still surprised by Macao's blatant disrespect. Was this because she refused to acknowledge the ones who returned from Tenrou Island? Or maybe he was just very busy...he obviously wasn't for he was chuckling with Cana about something that she had missed.

"Yeah, bye." The drinker says bluntly and takes a large swig from his mug.

Lucy recoils in shock before blinking a few times, "Oh, um, okay then. I'll just see you…later…" She manages to get out before she abruptly turns on her heel and moves towards the door. She manages to get past people crowding the front door without dropping her suitcase surprisingly. She glances over at her coat hung up on the coat hooks and she lifts it up and off the curved bronze. She then pushes her arms into the sleeves and wraps it around her chest area, and then she zips it up. Her brown eyes glance up every now and then during this procedure before fluttering away whenever they would land on a certain someone. Usually when she both enters and leaves the guild he practically jumps her, asking how she is and where she is going. He wasn't doing that now and for some odd and unexplained reason, it caused the pain she has become so familiar with to resurface. She couldn't allow that-she's been with it for five whole years and just recently had managed to keep it under lock and key. This boy, so dense and idiotic, was unwinding her tightly coiled spring of emotions, and she didn't think she could stop him from doing so.

Her fingers find her lips. She could still remember the kiss they had shared. His lips were so hot, he grasp on her hip so tempting. She then traces her plump lips with her index finger and her eyes rest on his full head of spiky pink hair. She could still feel his lips on her's and very strangely she realizes that she _enjoyed _it. Not only that, she wanted more! Her fingers close until she forms a shaking fist, _no! That is wishful thinking! He'll just reject you like you rejected him…why did you reject him, Lucy? _A voice screams in her head and she finds herself nodding in agreement. That had been her one and only chance. Surely Natsu would never allow her back into his life now that she had so cruelly stepped on his heart like that. Deep sorrow rises like a tidal wave in her body and suddenly her whole entire body is shaking, not just her fist. Her bottom lip quivers in her attempt to hold back tears even though she had no idea why she even felt this way. He was just a boy! There was nothing special about him [except for the obvious fact that he's gorgeous and the Fire DragonSlayer] that should really appeal to her.

Clutching her suitcase so tightly it turned her knuckles white, Lucy looks over at the boy again with a mixture of fascination and disgust. Who was he to so easily unwind her?! She would get to the bottom of this if it was the last thing she would ever do! With a sudden look of determination the 22 year old woman straightens up her back, holds her chin up high and marches over to where the pinkette was residing. He was currently bickering with Gajeel Redfox about which type of Dragon was the best.

"_Obviously fire is!_"

"_Oh Hell no! Iron could beat fire any day!_"

Resisting the huge urge to face-palm, Lucy comes to an abrupt halt right behind the fire DragonSlayer. She gives out a loud cough, one meant to draw attention, but it is ignored by both men. Getting a little angry, she tries it again. It is ignored like the first time. Finally fed up even after two tries, Lucy reaches out a smacks Natsu across the head, "Oi! I tried to get your attention," she barks, "Look over here!"

Natsu turns around with large onyx eyes and his mouth in a tiny 'o'. At the sight of her a giant grin comes to his face, flashing sharp fangs at her, "Oh, hey Lucy!" His eyes immediately rest on her suitcase, "Where ya' headed?" He asks suspiciously yet still with that smile on his face.

Lucy scowls, "None of your business. Now, I have a request for you."

"Yes?"

…and just like that all her confidence as gone, evaporated just by the look he gave her. He was still grinning but his eyes held a softer look…one that made her legs feel like jelly and her head spin. Why was she here again? Oh, right, she was going to ask him, "W-w-well, I w-w-was wondering…if you…maybe…could…erm…escort me to…the…" She was very nervous now. She looks everywhere but at him, even glances at Gajeel who was smirking knowingly. She narrows her chocolate brown eyes at him and he simply chuckles softly and walks away, leaving her alone with Natsu. _Screw you, Gajeel! I'm going to kill you later! _

"Train station?" Natsu finishes for her and his grin lessens to a sweet smile. He pats her on the head as if she was a dog and says, "Of course, Luce!" His tone was so trusting, so open, so warm…it filled Lucy up with something she could not name.

"Yes, well, thank you…" That went far smoother than she thought it would. She nods as she turns on her heel and heads for the door once again. She hears the sounds of his footsteps as he follows her and she slowly lets a tiny smile come to her face. She reaches out and grabs the handle to a guild door and pushes it open wide, revealing the pearly white world that they had used to conquer. A bittersweet smile graces her gorgeous features as the unofficial Guild Master feels Natsu Dragneel by her side. She could feel his heat, even in her thick coat. She lets her eyes flit up to his face, taking in his striking features and warm smile. Out of habit she crushes the rising affection in her gut and the smile broadens.

_I just can't kill the beast…_

OoOoOoO

They walk in a comfortable silence, neither one strong enough to break it. The blonde with the tiny and almost broken smile clutches onto her bag as if it were her lifeline, refusing to let go. Her chocolate eyes bore into the snow, they as cold as the ground and air around them. The smirking salmon haired boy's eyes land on the blonde every now and then and any stranger on the street could obviously tell every thought going through his head was about her. The train station suddenly looms before them and Lucy comes to a stop, startling Natsu.

"Well, this is where I leave you." Lucy's voice breaks through the long silence and his eyes go to her to see that she was staring at him. He takes in those cold, dead eyes and that tiny smile on those plump and pink lips of her's…instantly all he can think about was the kiss the two shared that one fateful night a few months ago. Oh how he would like to feel her under his lips again, to grab at her hips, pull her closer than before…no, none of those thoughts! He wasn't a pervert! Even though Lucy was so beautiful and just so _amazing_…

"Can I come with you?" Natsu suddenly asks what had been on his mind the entire walk up here. He wanted to be with her on every mission to protect her from the forces of evil. Yes he knew very well she could handle herself quite easily but still…he would feel so much better to be there with her to ensure that nothing ever happened to her. Not like last time where she was beaten so badly.

Her cold eyes snap to his warm ones and she says abruptly, "No." She turns away and begins to trot over to an awaiting train with her head held high. She doesn't get very far, though, for Natsu's hand encloses around her tiny wrist. He had such big hands compared to her feeble bone. He feels her shiver and wonders faintly if it was from the cold. She looks back at him with those piercing brown eyes and growls out, "Let go, boy."

"Let me come with you." His tone is demanding and his grip almost painful yet Lucy doesn't dare flinch underneath his gaze.

"I cannot."

"Why not?!"

She does not answer at first and a dark shadow crosses over her face, shielding her eyes from view. Her smile is replaced by a thin emotionless white line and Natsu slowly feels his confidence waver.

"Answer me, Lucy!"

"I just _can't_, okay?!" She suddenly screeches, drawing unwanted attention from passerby. Many stop and stare while others with some decency continue on without a single glance. Her fists are clenched and she looked as if she was about to take a swing at him. Her entire body is shaking with a mystery emotion. It wasn't anger, and not sadness…he could not tell. "Just _drop_ it! Go back to the guild, get drunk and have fun, do _something_ other than infuriate me!"

His grip on her wrist becomes tighter and very hot from his body temperature rising in his anger. She winces but it was too faint for him to see. His onyx eyes narrow dangerously and he snarls out like some sort of beast, "I can't just _drop_ it, Lucy! There is something going on, somewhere you have been disappearing to and I sure as Hell know it ain't fucking training or missions!"

"It is none of your business!" She yells with eyes of fire.

"It _is_ my business! How could it not be?! My best friend and the love of my life keeps going off doing _God knows what_ and doesn't tell anyone and then comes home with thousands, sometimes millions, of jewels! How is it _not_ my business?!"

His grip was like fire now yet she continues on. Just as she was about to make a biting remark on his intelligence exactly what he says finally gets through her rage-filled mind. _Love of my life_, is what he said…he was talking about her? Her chocolate brown eyes go huge and she stares at him with a huge mouth gaping. He stares straight back at her as he lastly realizes just what he said and how much weight they carried. His own eyes go huge and he drops Lucy's wrist as if it were a venomous snake and he takes a step back. After a moment of tension Lucy manages to find her voice, "W-what?"

If there was a red redder than Erza's hair then it was currently coloring Natsu's face. He coughs lightly and rubs the back of his neck nervously, "Uh, what I meant…great…" He gives up trying to explain and sighs heavily while running a scarred and big hand down his tired looking face, "Look, Luce, I'm tired of fighting…I really am." He murmurs just loud enough for her to hear.

The onlookers are as engrossed in their conversation as their favorite soap opera but Lucy couldn't care less. His words were still ricocheting throughout her brain and her own face turns bright red, "O-oh?" Was all she could get out at the moment.

He looks at her with those perfect ebony eyes and she almost falls to her knees right then and there. He has a look of such _exhaustion_ that it just about breaks her heart. With a hefty sigh he runs a hand through his unruly pink hair before letting it come to a rest by his side, "If you really want to keep your life secret from me then fine. Anything to make you happy." He wanted to reach out and gather her into his arms like he could in the old days. Of course in the old days he didn't appreciate her this way, he never considered her more than a friend until the second he woke up from the 7-year sleep…all his dreams had been about her. Her smiling, laughing, scowling and calling him an idiot, everything…when he awoke he had become a new man ready to confess everything to her.

But now it was far too late for she was far too gone to be saved.

_No! Lucy, he's walking away! Lucy stop him! _But she couldn't get her legs to move, couldn't open her mouth to yell the words. As his figure gets smaller and smaller in the distance her vision get blurrier and blurrier with hot tears that just won't stop. This is when people decide to leave, discussing what just happened among themselves. Her fists clench tighter than before and her teeth bite deeply into her bottom lip, drawing blood. She tastes the metallic liquid on her tongue and she lets it rest there, punishment for hurting that beautiful boy who deserved so much more than what she had put him through.

"_All aboard!_" Goes the train conductor and Lucy's teary eyes snap up to the train. She had two options, get on the train and go to her other job or chase after Natsu and apologize for everything and beg for his forgiveness. She imagines that scenario, her on her knees sobbing uncontrollably with him looking down at her in disgust; _"You rejected me time and time again. Why should I accept you now? It's too late, Lucy-san." _She wouldn't be able to bear that; her fragile heart would surely shatter into a million pieces.

This is what influenced her to board the train with tears flowing down her now stoic face. Many glance at her with concerned eyes as she walks by yet she ignores them as she finds herself an empty compartment. She enters and quickly shuts the wooden door behind her. Immediately her hands come up to her face to wipe away the salty liquid, thoroughly drenching her fingers. She dries them off on her jeans before sitting down on a cushioned bench and stares at a pattern in the wooden panels that covered the floor. After a few seconds the train begins to moves and she finds herself slowly letting go of her suitcase handle. She had been holding on so tightly that it hurt physically to release it. She rubs some life back into her hand and glances up at the metal ceiling of the train care, and her cold eyes slowly begin to soften…

OoOoOoO

He did not return to the guild.

Instead he had taken a detour, heading down Strawberry Street. How long has it been since he walked down this road? Oh, yeah, seven years. He takes a deep breath through the nose, taking in the familiar scents…and the slightest trace of Lucy? Yes he could definitely smell it now, that sweet and exotic incense of cherry blossoms that always seemed to cling to her skin…his favorite smell in the world. He follows the faint trail she had left, heading down the road another fifteen meters. Eventually he comes to a familiar and glorious sight.

Lucy's old apartment.

A tiny smile comes to his face as he reminisces about the old days where he would slip into her house through the window in the middle of the night just to sleep in her bed and take in her comforting scent. He remembers a certain night where he had snuck in and somehow their limbs had gotten tangled together. He ended up with his arms around her petite waist and her chest was squashed against his. He would never forget the adorable blush that colored her face…or the just about fatal 'Lucy Kick!' she had delivered to the side of his head. He reaches up and rubs his head absentmindedly and his smile broadens.

The apartment was still unoccupied thankfully so technically he wasn't breaching a law by breaking the lock on the window.

He enters the room silently and efficiently, feet barely making a noise as he touches the fluffy white carpet. He glances around Lucy's bedroom-or what _used_ to be her bedroom up until she sold the place. It was completely empty, everything had been taken out. Those were probably sold off to the highest bidder as well and the thought of another sleeping on that wonderful and terrific mattress really upset him. He takes a deep whiff of the air around him and picks up on light traces of the woman. A blissful smile comes to his face as he slowly explores the living area. He opens the door to the bathroom and glances around taking in the cold, beige tiles and the white walls. He enters and makes his way towards the large tub that she always enjoyed lounging in for hours on end. He remembers a time he sat outside the door; laughing about nothing with her while she washed up after a long day of beating bad guys into the ground. His smile broadens as he hears her voice from the past…

"_You're so funny, Natsu!"_

"_Haha! What did Gray say to that?"_

"_Hehe, that's awesome, Natsu!"_

His fist clench so tightly he thought the skin on his knuckles would rip in half. He turns and leaves the bathroom, avoiding looking at the mirror. He closes the door after him, cutting off the voices that rang in his mind. His onyx eyes darken as he moves onto the kitchen. So many nights he had spent there with Lucy and Happy by his side, sitting at the table that used to rest in the center of the space the kitchen provided. He walks over to the stove and takes a delicate whiff. The lemony scent of bleach assaults his nose yet he does not waver, he could just manage to sense the faint smells of the last meal Lucy cooked for him. Pork chops…she had burnt them by accident and had been crying and apologizing. He hadn't understood why she had cried but he did not question it, only comforted her along with Happy. He had patted her hair and whispered in her ear, "_I love burnt things! These will taste delicious!_" She had calmed down after that and drank tea while he ravished the burnt meat. He hadn't minded the charred parts, it actually tasted quite wonderful.

It was the best meal he ever had.

"_Thanks, Natsu…_"

"_Do you like them, Natsu? I made them just for you!_"

"_Natsu!_"

"_Natsu?_"

"_You're so stupid, Natsu!_"

"_Natsu…_"

All those times she has said his name, why couldn't he see then that she was the one? All those times she cooked meals for him, comforted him, humored him…why didn't he see that she was perfect in every way? Perfect for _him_? His teeth clench painfully and he growls ferociously at himself as her voice invades his thoughts again.

"_You're my best friend, Natsu!_"

"_Haha, I love you, idiot!_"

He had said he loved her too, but he had meant it just as friends then. Now he realized just how he wanted to say it. How he wanted her to interpret it. He quickly turns on his heel and runs towards the open window. How could he let someone he depended on so much just walk out the door like that?!

_Lucy, I love you. I love you so much. I love you, I love you, I love you and I ain't going to take 'no' for an answer this time!_

OoOoOoO

The fabric was tight on her 'assets', it pushed her breasts up and just about showed her ass. She hated them so much, hated the shoes that were so difficult to walk in, the tight black, spandex booty shorts and the lacey black top that squeezed her breasts together and pushed them up revealing a very generous cleavage. At least she got to wear this and not the simple lingerie the other girls wore. Well, she did have to tease the guys, that was the entire point. Tease the men so that they want you more so they spend more money getting more. She ties the knot in the front tightly and looks at her reflection in the full length mirror.

She was disgusted with the image she saw. What she saw was a whore with absolutely no dignity left. She curls her upper lip at her reflection and abruptly turns away, almost falling because of the black stilettos she was forced to wear. All of this…it was so degrading! If it wasn't for Fairy Tail, the missions she took and all that training she went through she was positive she would've killed herself by now! She crosses her arms across her busty and just about naked chest before walking towards the door to her dressing room. She glances at the clock on her way out-it was 11 P.M., that train ride took a good three hours so it made sense in was late in the evening. Besides, in five minutes it would be 'her time to shine'!

She opens her door and casually walks out, ignoring the looks she got from other girls. They all loathed her on the fact that she did not have to 'pleasure' the customers the way they had to. Well, she only did work part time so the boss of '_Plentiful Pleasures_' did not bother to put her on that line of duty. She scoffs as she thinks about the boss, a short and fat man; he only wanted to make a living. He was a nice fellow and he gave the girls nice homes and in return they danced a few dances in less than appropriate clothing and sometimes went home with a man who paid more than enough. Like it or not, Lucy knew he took care of those girls so she couldn't do anything about the fact that they were almost prostitutes.

Lucy, on the other hand, was not. She would never lower herself to such a scum filled level, not even if her life depended on it! She would not so willingly sell her body to the highest bidder on the corner of some questionable street along with the dozens of other girls who did. Lucy was sure that if she tried she would end up freaking out and beating the 'customer' to death. Believe it or not Lucy was still a virgin, no matter what anyone says. She was saving herself for that certain someone that she once was so sure would come along, but after those five years she let go of such pretty little thoughts and started thinking in the real world.

But no one said she had to give up her virginity to survive, so she would stay this way.

"_Oh, Lucy-chaaaaannnnn~!_" A high-pitched voice called out and the blonde turns to see a tiny and well rounded man running on his stubby legs towards her. She offers him a fake smile and turns completely in his direction. He comes to a stop in front of her and breathes heavily a bit, obviously winded from running those few meters. _Oh look, a 'Humpty Dumpty'!_ She cleverly thought to herself as she waits for him to catch his breath and give her the orders. His dull grey eyes take in her entire and his smile grows but not in a perverted way. He never acted perverted, even in this line of work, "Oh, Lucy-chan you look absolutely adorable! Wait, no that isn't a correct word for it…, daring! Sexy! Gorgeous!"

Lucy rolls her lukewarm brown eyes and says, "Thanks, boss. Am I going out now?"

"Yes, my dear. Do your normal routines until fifteen songs are over and then come back in here and wait until someone orders a lap-dance." The boss-man says cheerfully, knowing that there were sure to be many who would want a lap-dance from the _amazing Lucky Lucy_!

Her mind suddenly conjures up images of past nights where she would have to give lap-dances to men who paid the most. They were told to keep their hands off the women, but some still tried anyway. She remembers one night where a man groped her left breast and she sent him flying through a wall with one of her 'Lucy Kick!'s. She hadn't gotten in trouble no matter how much the customer tried to have her beaten, and instead the bouncers of '_Plentiful Pleasures_' took care of him real quick. Fortunately, he has yet to return. With a nod Lucy turns around and heads down a hallway that led out to the main stage where all the poles were. Her heels _click_ and _clack_ against the hard marble flooring and for some reason she finds the noise extremely unsettling.

Why did she feel as if something life changing was about to happen?

OoOoOoO

_Plentiful….Pleasures…? _Natsu thought to himself as he stares up at the flashing sign. He had interrogated one of the employees at the train station and figured out that it headed to Blooming Rose Town, the number one spot for brothels and strip clubs alike. _Why would Lucy's scent lead up to this filthy place?! _He screams in his head while standing dead smack in the middle of the road. He could hear loud and upbeat music pounding from the inside of the building and he knew going in there would do a number on his ears. But Lucy was definitely worth the pain and possible hearing loss, so without further ado, the fire DragonSlayer forces his legs to move towards the large front doors colored bright neon pink. He was not quite prepared for the onslaught of disgusting smells that assaulted his ultrasensitive nose and brought tears to his eyes. He gags slightly on the air but slowly makes his way into the overly warm area, maneuvering around half dressed beauties that were waiting on drunken men. His face turns a cute red as he accidentally takes in an eye-full of naked breast. Why would that woman just let them out like that?! At least cover them with a bra, come on! He quickly averts his eyes knowing that he only ever wanted to see Lucy's bare. _Do not nosebleed, do not nosebleed…_

"Would you like a drink, baby?" A seductive voice says in his ear and he whips around to lock eyes with a gorgeous woman who couldn't be more than 18! She winks a baby blue eye at him and puts a tiny hand on her broad hip, "We have all types of beer, wines, you name it, sugar."

He really didn't like the way this lady was talking to him. He could tell by her scent that she was very uncomfortable around all these men and by the looks of it, her smile was absolutely fake-yet still dazzling. This girl could do so much more in her life, like acting! Offering her a sweet smile he keeps his onyx eyes on her's and says, "N-no thank you. I'm actually looking for someone."

"Well on a night like this everyone is, baby." The waitress says with a cute smile, a real one. She pushes back a strand of her black hair behind one ear with one manicured hand.

"T-that's not what I meant." He crosses his arms across his chest hoping that he could defend himself from her seemingly penetrating gaze. "Her name is Lucy."

Her pretty azure eyes brighten up considerably at the mention of her name, "Oh, Miss Lucy? Well, why didn't you say so? She's a real nice girl, and so pretty too…shame that she's workin' here."

"Do you know where she is? She's okay, right?" Natsu asks frantically with huge onyx eyes. This chick was a lot of help! He would have to come back later and ask if she would like to join Fairy Tail's staff of waitresses…

The woman laughs, a thing like bells and says humorously, "You're so adorable! You must've really fallen hard for her, eh?" At his embarrassed look she laughs again, "Well, eyes to the stage, cowboy, she's just warmin' up…" She winks at him once again before walking off to wait on more men.

He watches her leave before turning and looking at the place she indicated. Surrounding the shining stage were men of all sizes, ages and nationalities. Is that a _squid_ man? He resists the urge to gawk and instead forces himself to gaze at the person who recently entered.

"_And now, gentlemen, Plentiful Pleasures' man attraction! The mysterious and gorgeous Lucky Lucy! _" A voice says over an intercom, and the entire club goes silent. The music stops and every pair of eyes were on the stage, even the all the waitresses'. His onyx eyes narrow as he hears her name being blasted over that intercom, clenching his fists. _Main…attraction…?_

The person wears a tight black shirt cut off just below the breasts, skin-tight. From the crown of her golden head to the tips of her perfectly manicured toes she was stunning and radiating beauty. Her lukewarm chocolate eyes don't even land on the crowd; instead they were closed showing heavily colored lids. Her plump lips were painted a shocking bright red, matching her nails. The very hands that have caressed his face and held his hands so many times reach out and grab a metal pole and she drags herself close to it, bringing up a leg and pressing her lower body into the metal. Those lips curve upward into a deadly and _utterly sexy_ smirk as she begins to move. She twists professionally around the pole, at one point dipping low and bringing her body up again in an erotic manner. She swings her hips to the side as music begins to play again and its sexual tune matches her wiggling body perfectly. His eyes widen as suddenly she launches herself forward, sliding on her knees until she was at the very edge of the stage. She gets on all fours like an animal and moves forward to some lucky fellow in the front. She wears a look of complete seductive calculation as she slinks towards him, just about touching him but not quite. The man moves forward obviously wanting to touch her but instead controls himself and slips a 100 jewel note into the waistband of her tight booty shorts. She lets a dark smile come to her face, but Natsu could easily tell it was fake.

_Why Lucy? Why are you doing this?! These men don't deserve to see you this way! They never will! _He thought in his mind before moving forward with a renewed cause. He shoves full grown men out of the way as if they weighed no more than pebbles until he was directly in front. A dark scowl comes to his face as Lucy twirls around the pole and dips down again. Men were practically drooling now and for some reason, Natsu felt he himself grow hard and he hated himself for it. His upper lip curls in disgust, mostly at himself, and he places his hands on the stage while staring at Lucy so intensely she could just about feel it. She shakes her hips again, facing the opposite direction of where Natsu was. Damn those shorts really gave a nice view of her perfect apple bottom ass…no! Stop it! He shakes his head quickly before looking up at her again. She was turning towards him in a flamboyant manner, showing off that taunt and flat stomach of her's. Her hair dances around her head like a halo as she moves and finally her eyes come to rest on him. They go wide with surprise and…was that _horror_? Her mouth goes wide and immediately she stops dancing, too shocked and embarrassed to move another step. Her golden hair flutters to a stop around the small of her back and single strand drifts in front of her face right over her parted mouth. He sees her pretty little mouth shape one word, one name, and just like that he snaps.

"_Natsu?_"

He launches himself onstage, startling the men around him. Lucy is still glued in that one spot, staring at him with large eyes. He stomps over to her and grabs her wrist rather roughly, "_What the Hell were you thinking, idiot_?!" He roars in her face not caring if he was scaring her in his rage. She simply whimpers and says nothing. With a terrifying snarl he picks her up as easy as if she was a sack of potatoes and throws the girl over his shoulder, wrapping his arm around her waist as he did so, so that she wouldn't fall off his broad shoulder. That's when the boo's and angry yelling begin.

"_Hey, man, put her down!_"

"_Put her down so she can keep dancing!_"

Yeah, that's all they cared about. They did care if he was potentially dangerous to her or if she even wanted to go with him. All they wanted her to do was dance and quench their perverted thirsts. His scowl grows darker, turning his usually handsome features ugly. Without a single rational thought he ignites the fist that wasn't near Lucy and snarls out loudly, "_She will no longer dance for you_!" He waves his hand at the crowd of men gathering and instantly the floor is burning with reckless flames. He takes a running head start and leaps over the fire, halting the fire at his hands. He feels Lucy's hands on his back, pushing herself up and he just about shivers at her touch. He knows that she is watching what is happening but she does not say a word, only lets him take her out the door and into the cold night of February.

OoOoOoO

_He…he came for me._ Lucy thought to herself as Natsu runs down the road with her slung over his shoulder. It was so cold outside; the air was biting at all her exposed skin and making goose bumps appear all over. She shivers slightly when she feels Natsu's hand come up and grasp her right thigh as he jumps over a gate and onto the street again. Heat radiates from that one touch throughout her body, and she feels a spike of arousal in her gut. Her hands tighten into his vest, clutching onto the fabric as if it were her lifeline. She glances up at the back of his head, taking in his spiky pink hair she has come to love so deeply. _Where is he taking me? _

He continues to run for another good mile and by then she could barely feel her toes anymore. Well, should couldn't really feel them before due to the fact that these stilettos were some of the most _uncomfortable_ things on this very planet, but still. The cold was really getting to her and she begins to shiver uncontrollably and not just because of Natsu's hand that was slowly rubbing up and down her leg. She could tell he sensed this for in the next moment he turns and their destination appears before them.

It was a dingy motel. Her eyes go wide as she imagines all sorts of naughty things that go on in motels but she quickly pushes those thoughts away and she tries to spark a conversation with the man, "N-Natsu…" Her teeth were clacking together almost painfully but she manages to get his name out. He doesn't glance in her direction, doesn't give a sign that he even heard her. She lets out a skipping-due to her teeth-sigh and returns to staring at the ground. _He's really angry…_

She feels herself get angry as well, _I had to do that! I couldn't get the millions of jewels to pay for the old guild building without adding on this job too! I get lots of money off of it! He can't say anything! He was gone for seven years; he didn't see what we all had to go through. He will never understand, the hypocrite. _She thought to herself in a daze and a dark snarl comes to her face.

They enter the shitty motel and it is surprisingly warm inside. She sighs in content as her shivering stops. Natsu still does not let her down. He walks right past the clerk sitting at the front desk without a single glance. She looks over at the overweight employee to see that he wasn't even looking! He probably has seen far stranger things in his time and has learned to not ask anything of it, especially not about an angry and dangerous looking young man with a stripper over his shoulder wearing nothing but a tight shirt and a pair of booty shorts.

Well there goes her chance to escape.

Natsu takes her down a beat up hallway with cracked walls and molding carpet. Obviously the owner didn't give a rat's ass about the place. _Poor business leader, will never get far. _She comments to herself with a disgusted look on her face, "This place is horrid…" She mutters knowing fully well that he could hear her every word yet he does not answer once again. She huffs angrily as they come upon the last door in the hall, one labeled '_Master Suite_'. Her chocolate brown eyes go huge and she gulps silently, sending a prayer to Kami above that this place as just for sleeping.

She squeals as he takes her off his shoulder and throws her onto the nearby bed. Her stomach flip-flops horribly as she sails through the air but thankfully she lands soon on her side on the surprisingly soft bed. She grunts as she pushes herself up on her hands and her eyes snap over to Natsu who had just slammed the door, "What the Hell, Natsu?! You can't just throw a lady like that! Furthermore, how the Hell did you find me you asshole?!" She screeches at him.

The sound of a lock being turned over resonates in her ears and suddenly the courage from her anger she had conjured up dissipates in a puff of smoke. She watches him with wide eyes as he stares at the door for a long time and Lucy could see his fists shaking in his anger. She slowly gulps deeply and reaches down to unclasp her stilettos, just in case she has to run for her very life. She manages to get them off without too much noise but instead of jumping up and running for the window on the other side of the room like she had planned she just stares at his taunt back. He was really scaring her with this tension, she just wanted him to finally yell at her and be done with it!

"I…" He begins but then stops and sighs heavily as if he were exhausted. He turns to glare at her with eyes made of fire, "Do you have any idea what it was like for me to see you up there, dressed in _that_," he gestures wildly to her clothing, well _lack _thereof. She feels a tiny blush come to her face and she tries to cover up herself with her arms. It didn't really work out well for her, "and dancing for those…those…_motherfuckers_?!" He snarls loudly, startling the poor mage.

Lucy was at loss for words. She didn't know what to say or how to say it! She was quivering like a leaf as she takes a deep breath as if she were about to respond, but can say nothing. She racks her brain for responses and finally comes up with one, "Uh…exhilarated because of how sexy I was…?" She says in a nervous voice. She was trying for humor, something that always seemed to work on him when he was like this. She remembered only once before he was this angry and that was the time Phantom Lord had taken her prisoner. He had burned that man until he told him where she was…and he had caught her when she fell. She would never forget how relieved she was when she felt his arms around her.

That was the worst possible thing to say for suddenly he was in her face snarling with the darkest looks she's ever seen on him, "_No! _I was too busy wondering why _you were off shaking your ass for men! They don't get to see you!_" His tone was so furious, _he_ was so furious. For a moment she feels real fear rush through her but she quickly crushes it down. _Don't be scared by him…he's your _nakama_, he would never hurt you_.

"What? What do you mean? I was trying to make a liv-" She starts to argue but he cuts her off and roughly grabs her shoulders. She winces and gasps loudly as he does so and he shakes her a bit.

"_They_ do not deserve to look at you! You will _never_ return to the place, do you understand?!" He demands and his grip on her tightens a fraction. Her eyes snap up to his and she takes in his expression of complete fury. She was so frightened by the darkness in those ebony eyes of his and she whimpers for a second time tonight.

Gritting her teeth she grasps at her boldness that new Lucy has and snarls out, "How _dare_ you tell me what to do?! I am not your servant! I will return because I need the extra jewel!"She gets in his face and brings up a hand to poke him in his chest, "So you butt _out_ of my life!"

His grip on her shoulders becomes painful yet she refuses to waver or whimper again in fear that he would get the upper hand. He narrows his eyes at her and she follows suit, "I will not! And you will never go back because I won't allow you! You will never speak of that place or _think_ of that place!"

"How dare you?! You won't allow me, ha! I would like to see you try!" She looks away from him with a daring smirk on her face. Lucy Heartphilia does not back down so easily.

He grabs her chin and forces her to look at him, making her smirk fall into a deep frown. He stares into her eyes and whispers, "_Is that a challenge_?" There was something different about his voice. Whereas his tone before both scared her and fired her up this one only made her feel small and…hot? Who turned up the heat? His hands were practically in flames on her shoulders and she tries to wiggle out of his grip. She pulls back her face from being all up in his and attempts to break free.

"Let go!" She snarls at him when he refuses to loosen his grip.

He is suddenly in her face again with renewed anger, "_Never again_." He whispers before his hand fall from her shoulders down to her hands that were curled in the comforter beneath her. She shivers at his hot touch making his eyes widen in surprise, and he isn't the only one.

_Why did I react that way? Why is he acting like this? He was yelling at me before, why is he being so gentle now? _These thoughts rush through her mind as she stares up at him with confused chocolate irises, "Never…again…?" She questions in a faint voice. The yelling mixed with today's events has really worn her down and all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball underneath these blankets and sleep for an eternity. But she knew Natsu wouldn't allow that. He wasn't done talking just yet.

His eyes close and he lets out another tired sigh. He leans forward and rests his forehead on her's, catching the lass by surprise. She goes perfectly still as she feels his thumb begin to rub calming circles into the soft flesh of her right wrist. His other hand was bracing himself against the bed, so her left hand was free if she needed to hit him or anything like that. But what can one do with their non-dominant hand? He would easily over power her and probably just get angry all over again. She stares up into his face and takes in his features now that he's not angry anymore [so it seemed], seeing his tan skin, his thin lips, his strong chin…he was one handsome man no matter what she ever says. Not to mention he has one of the nicest bodies she has ever seen a man possess _ever_, other than Gray who was practically a god but he didn't get to her the way Natsu did. She lets her eyes drift down to his slender neck that was covered by his familiar Dragon-scaled scarf. She lets a tiny smile come to her face as she remembers days she would just sit under the sakura tree in Magnolia Park and talk to the sky as if she were talking to Natsu. Of course, she did this for all the others too, even Laxus! Sure she never felt any real friendship towards the guy considering his first impression was one of a perverted jerk but still, it would have been nice to have a guy as strong as him around in those seven years. She would stroke that scarf whenever she 'talked' to Natsu, telling him how her day went and what was happening in the guild.

Sometimes she would cry.

_No, those are bad thoughts! Keep those away! Do not let the pain take hold of you again! _She roars in her mind and her hands tighten even more into the blankets beneath her. He was so still, so perfectly content with just standing there so close to her. She freezes again as he begins to speak, "Lucy…why do you think I came back for you?" His breath tickles her lips as he speaks inches away. Her toes curl in pleasure at the feeling and her breath hitches in her throat. He had no idea what he was doing to her just by being _so close_.

"I-I…" She couldn't form words and honestly she had no idea as to why he did so. He was such a mystery to her, an enigma trapped in a glorious human body. Well, he wasn't really all that human. She was pretty sure his magic made his part Dragon…

His thumb stops its movements at her wrist and slowly he brings his hand up to cup her cheek delicately, as if he considered her a porcelain doll. If she had been standing she would have collapsed in a heap by now her knees were so weak. What was he doing to her? How could he so easily make her feel this small? Her eyes fall from his face as he tilts her face to get a better view. He removes his forehead from her's and he smiles softly as he takes in her face. Plump lips, high cheekbones and a dainty chin…she was gorgeous as well. Her eyes were looking at anywhere but he and this made him slightly angry. He wanted her to be staring into his eyes for what he planned to do next. "Luce, look at me." He whispers softly.

Not being able to resist the pull of his voice, slowly her eyes meet his and her lips part slightly as he moves even closer to her, closing that miniscule gap between their lips. His warm lips are on her icy cold ones for no longer than a second before he pulls away, leaving Lucy wanting more. She lets out a tiny sigh and she stares into his eyes, "N-Natsu…"

"Do you know now?" He asks of her, refusing to break eye contact with the older woman. His hand was still on her cheek making her quiver like a leaf. He watches her with hooded eyes, obviously just as effect by the kiss as she was.

Almost uncertainly, she nods. She understood perfectly now why he has been doing what he has been doing. It wasn't just lust for her that drove him like she originally thought; no it was so much _more_ than that! He felt such deep feelings for her that she has been returning ever since they met in that port town. Not only did friendship bind them together, but a mutual strong attraction did as well and Lucy knew now that no force, even one of seven years, could ever break that again. An almost _happy_ smile comes to her face, the first one in a long time, and she sighs softly, "Natsu…thank you…" She whispers. Her walls were slowly crumbling, she could feel it but there was no onslaught of pain, only _happiness_! All this time it was not her fear of the pain that kept her running from Natsu; it was her fear of allowing herself to be happy again. She had been scared all this time that he would hurt her again, but now she knew that he would never allow that ever again. Her smile broadens and her eyes gain certain warmth that makes Natsu's onyx eyes go wide.

Her arms circle tightly around his chest and his face buries itself into his neck, catching him by surprise. He goes still as her tears begin, "Oh, hey, Lucy don't cry! I-I didn't mean it!"

He hears a chuckle through the sniffles that escape her and she says in a surprisingly strong voice, "I'm not sad Natsu, I'm _happy_. You've finally freed me of this overpowering weight on my chest…thank you so much…" She lifts her head up and kisses his jaw line sweetly. His arms go around her as well, grip tight as he enjoys what she was doing. She snakes out her tongue and lets it outline his chin, leaving a line of saliva. He shivers, already breathing hard. When he is suddenly shoved back onto the queen sized bed, his eyes go huge in surprise. She was still in his arms, just now lying on top of him in a very sexual position. Her knee was between his and she untangles her arms from around his chest to explore his body with her fingers. She smirks darkly at him as she lets her fingers graze his already protruding erection. He hisses and glares at her which makes her let out a chuckle, "Let me show you just how grateful I am…"

He lets out a moan as she strokes him again.

OoOoOoO

The road to recovery is never an easy one.

In the weeks after that fateful night in the motel, Lucy and Natsu had gotten into _17_ fights! That was a new record for every couple in Fairy Tail. Their relationship was a hot and cold one at first, one day they would be all over each other, never letting the other out of their sight, and the next they won't even speak to each other and when they do it is in loud angry voices that usually turn into _real brawls_. But of course they always managed to make up and by the sounds that sometimes came out of Lucy's room in the back of the guild, they really enjoyed doing so. Lucy still ran off to do missions by herself sometimes, something that would drive Natsu _insane_ with worry. Whenever she came back Natsu would go on and on about all kinds of things and Lucy would just make eye contact with some random person in the guild and giggle along with that person.

On the third week after that night, Lucy had approached Erza. No words were said between them for a long time, they had only stared at each other with narrowed eyes as if they were about to fight! Suddenly Lucy had smacked her across the face, something that Erza had taken like a man. After that, the two girls laughed and ran off to eat cake and gossip together. Poor Gray was so confused by this act and even more confused when Lucy ran up to him and kissed him on the cheek and told him his pants were missing.

From time to time you could see Lucy moping in the corner of the guild, refusing to talk to anyone but usually that didn't last long, especially when Levy came over to talk to her. Oh, speaking of Levy McGarden, apparently Gajeel finally grew some balls and made a move! The two were currently happily living together in Levy's home up in Fairy Hills, but only because Levy refused to live in his shit-dump of a house. When Lucy heard this she had immediately stood, stalked right over to Gajeel and had threatened him with that cold-ass glare she had come to perfect over the years, "_If you ever hurt my Levy-chan I will personally see to it that your balls are ripped off and mounted over my fireplace. Got it, metal-head?!_" He had hastily nodded and Lucy was back to her old self again, giggling and going over to talk with Levy.

Lucy had given up her place as 'Guild Master' back to Master Marcov, saying that she only wanted to live in a guild where he was leader. At first he tried to decline but Lucy would not have that, even threatened the poor man! After that, everyone knew that Lucy was no longer in charge…even though she and Erza made a deadly pair in discipline. Brawl rates in the guild disappeared almost overnight with those two on the watch, and no one dared ever say anything about how scary the two women were. You know, just in case they took offense to that.

Fortunately they did not.

Natsu Dragneel reaches down and kisses his beloved on the mouth, loving the way his arm fit so perfectly around her. He looks down at her with loving eyes and she mirrors that with the exception of a huge grin. They are jolted out of their romantic bubble when another presence appears besides them. Natsu looks up to meet the eyes of a pretty, baby blue eyed waitress who smiles and 30-watt smile at the two.

"Can I get you anything, sugar?" She says in her sweet drawl as she tucks a strand of jet black hair behind her ear.

**OoOoOoO**

**Do you get the ending? Yes? No? Maybe so? Re-read over it then come back to me. HOLY SHIT THIS TOOK ME THREE DAYS TO WRITE! Officially the longest thing I have ever written and posted on Fanfiction, I mean really, holy FAHK!**

**Well, I hoped you all enjoyed this short story by yours truly. I had such a great time writing this and I hoped you all enjoyed reading this as well! If this is the first story you've read by me, then check out my other stories…you might like them :D**

**So go ahead and drop a review, favorite, follow, and expect many more short stories like this to come!**

**I love you all!**

**PARADISE.x**


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